Forum Blend Reviews
Rob1110
Posts: 1,577 ✭✭✭
Since Alex requested it and nobody else started it yet, I figured I'd get a new thread going on the forum blend to get everyone's opinion on them. If you've gotten your cigars and smoked one, post your review here. If you already reviewed them somewhere else, please copy and paste here to make it official.
Today I smoked my first forum blend and I chose the Sumatra because that was my first wrapper choice and I was stoked that my vote made it. Now, keep in mind that I just got these cigars in yesterday, so this one was fairly fresh when I smoked it.
The construction was beautiful with no prominent veins, cap applied evenly and no lumps, hard spots or soft spots. Dead on. The initial smell was a little off but I didn't let that sway me. One thing I've learned is that you can go into a cigar shop and smell until your heart's content, but you don't know how good that cigar is gonna be until you light up. I opened it up with a punch and the draw was just right.
Upon lighting, there was a sweetness with some wood and cocoa undertones. This sweetness eventually faded to an underlying sweet, almost sugar cane note that persisted throughout the cigar. The wood and cocoa notes continued throughout along with occasional spice and young tobacco. There was a slight burn at the back of the throat every once in a while which made me think the tobacco or cigar itself may be a bit young and need some aging. The burn line was perfectly even throughout the entirety of the smoke and the cigar gave off volumes of smoke and flavor. I'd put it in the medium category as I had it in the morning on an empty stomach and about 2/3s of the way through, I started getting a slight buzz.
Bottom line: This was a great cigar and I was very impressed, though not too surprised (the guys at c.com offer quality products). At the price point Alex gave us, give these babies a little rest (I wanna say 6 months or better) and they'll be incredible smokes. Would I have another? Hell yeah, I'll probably have 8 or 9 more, depending on whether or not I'm generous enough to give any away. Would I recommend them? Highly. Sorry to anyone on here who didn't get any. See if someone will trade you for one.
Today I smoked my first forum blend and I chose the Sumatra because that was my first wrapper choice and I was stoked that my vote made it. Now, keep in mind that I just got these cigars in yesterday, so this one was fairly fresh when I smoked it.
The construction was beautiful with no prominent veins, cap applied evenly and no lumps, hard spots or soft spots. Dead on. The initial smell was a little off but I didn't let that sway me. One thing I've learned is that you can go into a cigar shop and smell until your heart's content, but you don't know how good that cigar is gonna be until you light up. I opened it up with a punch and the draw was just right.
Upon lighting, there was a sweetness with some wood and cocoa undertones. This sweetness eventually faded to an underlying sweet, almost sugar cane note that persisted throughout the cigar. The wood and cocoa notes continued throughout along with occasional spice and young tobacco. There was a slight burn at the back of the throat every once in a while which made me think the tobacco or cigar itself may be a bit young and need some aging. The burn line was perfectly even throughout the entirety of the smoke and the cigar gave off volumes of smoke and flavor. I'd put it in the medium category as I had it in the morning on an empty stomach and about 2/3s of the way through, I started getting a slight buzz.
Bottom line: This was a great cigar and I was very impressed, though not too surprised (the guys at c.com offer quality products). At the price point Alex gave us, give these babies a little rest (I wanna say 6 months or better) and they'll be incredible smokes. Would I have another? Hell yeah, I'll probably have 8 or 9 more, depending on whether or not I'm generous enough to give any away. Would I recommend them? Highly. Sorry to anyone on here who didn't get any. See if someone will trade you for one.
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Comments
The sumatra had an underlying sweetness on the palate with a cinnamon like spicyness through the nose. About halfway through almost all of the spice disappeared and the sweetness took over. The draw and burn were perfect throughout and the stick last about 90 minutes.
The maduro had similer characteristics but the overall experiance was different than the sumatra. Right after the light my palate was hit with sweetness that was almost too much but it tapered off pretty quickly. The sweetness stayed throughout the stick and a little spice poked its head in every once in a while. Like the sumatra the draw and burn were perfect and it lasted about 90 minutes.
I definatly would like to get more of these.
CK
Today I had the maduro, same results as to the inspection. The burn on this one was a bit more uneven but it did not suffer any major defects. I would have to smoke one of each simultaneously to give a breakdown, but the maduro seemed very similar to the Sumatra in most regards except for the flavors inparted by the maduro wrapper.
If I had to state a preference, I would give a slight nod to the Sumatra as I think the blend works a little better with that wrapper. Both, however, were pretty good and I could definitely get behind this cigar were it to be put into production.
Nicely done guys, and thanks Alex for making this happen.
As has been said the cigar is absolutely beautiful. That EcSu wrapper has such an inviting luster. The cut, draw, light, burn were all flawless. I wish all cigars were made this well.
The first impression I got was a thick, lingering sweetness that held to my palatte like molasses with a long finish. Eventually the finish became shorter and it wasn't too long before I got a little spice. That stayed for a while and then the sweetness returned but not as much as before. It mellowed for a while and maintained an easy sweetness with occasional spice and something else that might have been a flavor I couldn't identify or maybe tobacco.
It was pretty smooth but certainly could use a little more smoothing out. It was easy to tell it needs a little resting time to really show off but still you can get a real good grasp for what's in there and I think they will be real tasty soon. Overall I'd say sweet that mellows as you progress and underlying spice that comes to the front now and then.
I enjoyed it quite a bit and it was a real treat to smoke a cigar I had a hand in developing. I think I'll smoke at least 9 more of these.
Dangerous indeed Puro my man ...dangerous indeed ...
And Puro has a gun... She's just a girl...
Or you could tell her "i stay out of your purse, you stay out of my Humidor".
I do feel your pain tho Puro... even tho it's your own fault...if you hadn't let her try "Pete's stick" well maybe she wouldn't have loved it...DUH.
LMAO
Sorry bro' I just had to. I mean you laid it out there, and it was just hanging, and nobody seemed like they were gonna, so I just had to spike that puppy.
The cigar looks perfect, very dark with a sheen to it and perfect construction. It has a nice heft to it and feels very solid. Upon lighting, it is instantly sweet and smooth, with a nice finish. The draw is perfect for me, just enough resistance so it isn't like sucking through a straw but in no way inhibits the smoke. I picked up some brown sugar and even a little caramel on it throughout the cigar, but especially so in the first half. There is also a distinct flavor of roasted nuts on the finish, a very pleasant taste. The burn was a little uneven to begin with, but by about a third of the way in, it had corrected itself and never required any touch-ups or re-lights. It produces volumes of thick smoke, and has a nice, chewy texture. The ash is very firm and held for a little over an inch. Just over halfway in, the flavors seem to level out a bit and although are still very sweet, the caramel and brown sugar isn't as prominent now. It still has an excellent flavor, but its a little harder to discern the little nuances. I smoked it down to the nub, and throughout it was very smooth and at no point harsh. It may get better with some age, but honestly I enjoyed it quite a bit as is. I would definately purchase a box of these, no doubt about it.
Like the Maduro, the Sumatra is a beautiful cigar. Excellent construction, not a flaw in sight. It has a very attractive sheen to it as well, with a nice heft to it with no soft spots. Also just like the Maduro, the draw is perfect and produces a ton of thick white smoke. The pepper is a bit more pronounced than in the Maduro, but not overpowering in any way. It is still sweet, but not as sweet as the Maduro. I did pick up a slight molasses flavor on this one, very nice. I also got a hint of coffee a couple of times, but for the most part I can best describe it as a toasty and creamy taste. I think this one needs a little age moreso than the Maduro does, but like the Maduro, it is pretty damn good with only three days on it. This is another one I would buy a box of, especially if the price wasn't too bad. I smoked this one down to the finger-burning point, and wished there was a little more, lol.
All in all, the forum blends are both excellent sticks IMO. I really hope these go into some kind of production, even if it is limited.
Now for the real question, do we want to make any changes? Is it too sweet, too strong, not strong enough??? Lots to think about. Keep smoking and let me know. We can go back to the ingredients and make some tweaks if everyone has similar opinions.
I love the blend as is but would not be opposed to a tad bit more pepper as Joe said ...but I would definitly buy a couple of boxes of Maduros just the way they are !!!
I agree. It needs a more intense flavor, and some more pepper to balance out the sweetness. The Sumatra I love, the Maduro not nearly so much. It was great at the beginning, but kinda faded into a difficult-to-describe unpleasant tangle of flavors about halfway through. It might just need more rest time than the Sumatra, mind you.
Thats kinda what I said Tony ...I'd buy a couple of boxes of maduros just as they are ...the maduros are my favorites but both are really good ...
All in all, I have to say we did a bang-up job for a bunch of first-timers. If we do make changes, I wouldn't want to change too much that it loses it's identity. In terms of strength, I think we got just what we asked for: a medium-bodied cigar that would appeal to full-bodied, full-flavored, avid cigar smokers, as well as the newbie.
OH MAN...if these aren't in my mailbox in the morning I am going to be the biggest b itch...
I was dreaming about these things last night !! I woke up and couldn't remember what they tasted like.
Bad dream.
Alex, maybe you could give us a list of options on what changes could be made and how they might effect it.