Brand: Nub
Vitola: 460
Length: 4.00
Ring Gauge: 60
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Price: Around $7.00

Brand:
The Nub line of cigars is a creation of Sam Leccia, a former sales representative for the Oliva brand. In mid 2007 the idea of the Nub was pitched to the no nonsense Oliva Family and they were more than skeptical. After having smoked numerous samples the excitement began to grow on them and the line went into production.

Nub cigars are set to go live with numerous launch events starting in April. The man behind the blend, Sam, will be present for each launch event to speak with the attendees as well as roll some cigars to show what the Nub is all about.

Pre-Light:

Just like with the Nub Connecticut, the very first thing that stood out about the cigar was its girth. With such a large ring gauge of 60 ( 0.9375 inches in diameter) and its short length of 4 inches, it still feels a little strange initially. After a minute or so of handling during the pre light inspection, it quickly begins to feel natural.

When held to a light source the oily sheen on the wrapper is quickly distinguished as are the small delicate veins that run from head to foot. The texture of the cigar is soft to the touch and firm when pinched. When progressively pinched from head to foot the cigar felt firmly and consistently packed with tobacco.

Once the head of my Nub 460 Cameroon was opened up I found the draw to be very nice with a slight bit of resistance. The aroma on both the wrapper and foot was a deep earthy and coffee like smell.

First Third:

After my inspection was complete I moved into the toasting and lighting stage of cigar smoking. After a lengthy toast (once again, there is a lot of tobacco to get burning) my cigar was evenly lit and producing loads of flavorful smoke.

The body begins life in the medium range while the finish is very sharp and leaves a light butter/oil coating on the walls of the mouth and tongue. When the smoke is passed through the sinuses I am getting a very quick and sharp spice that fades quickly. The base flavor is consisted of a leather core with mild spicy notes that quickly dissipate after each puff.

The burn rate of this cigar seems to be running a little faster than my previous Connecticut wrapped Nub, but overall seems to be making pretty good time. The burn line is thin and even while producing a medium amount of resting smoke that fills the room with a mild aroma. The draw remains good with a little resistance and produces a thick mouthful of smoke with each puff.

Second Third:

After about fifty minutes of smoking I found myself into the second third of my Nub 460 Cameroon. At this point the body was making a slow and steady build moving further into the medium range. The finish remained smooth and just as before, was leaving me with a light oily/buttery texture which coated the walls of my mouth and tongue.

The leather core which made up the base flavor in the first third was beginning to take a back seat to the spicy secondary flavor also found in the first third. In addition to the switch in flavor they quickly began to devolved more complexity and depth the further I smoked into the stick.

The burn rate continued to be a little faster than I remember the Connecticut, of the same proportions, smoking just a few days ago. Even with the quicker burn rate I still felt as if I was making good time with the cigar. The draw remained good and provided a cool and thick smoke with each puff along the way.

Final Third:

As I rounded the one hour and forty five minute mark, I found myself deep into the final third of my Nub 460 Cameroon. Up to this point the body has continued to have a slow steady build further into the medium range without cresting into the medium to full or full spectrum. The finish still has a light oily/buttery texture to it and leaves what feels like a thin film of flavor in the mouth.

The base flavor has now changed to a rich cameroon flavor with a sharp and spicy aftertaste. Once the smoke is expelled, the richness really sets in. Flavors of nuts and wood are easily distinguished then quickly fade leaving me wanting to puff again to experience the rich aftertaste.

The burn rate seems to have slowed down and continues to put off a cool and flavorful smoke. The burn line remains thin and even while producing a medium amount of resting smoke that is pleasantly aromatic.

My Thoughts:
Once again, I think Sam produced a fine cigar with a unique character and flavor. In the beginning I was sure that this cigar was going to take much less time to smoke than my Connecticut and was proven wrong when I reached for the toothpick after two hours of smoking.

Having only smoked two of these, versus three of the Connecticut I am having difficulty deciding on which one I like more. Both cigars are unique in their own way and provide a deep flavor that I enjoy very much. Because of this simple fact, I think that smoking many more of both in the future is definitely in order.

Once again, thank you Sam for the opportunity to smoke and review these pre release samples. I have not run into a single problem with any and hope that this is a true representation of what to expect with Nub cigars in the future,

Happy Smoking