I’ve been eying these cigars ever since I brought them back from RTDA. Unlike the other ill-gotten gains I brought back from that trip, I didn’t get these cigars from the show. These guys were handed out by one of the generous people from the Cigar Live forum I met at a herf at an Irish pub my first night in town. I’d never heard of them before, and the guys were pretty enthusiastic about them. So right then and there I determined I’d hold off and give them a proper review at my first opportunity. That time is now, so let’s check it out.

Cigar Stats:
Size: 6 x 54
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Smoking Time: 1 1/2 hours
Beverage: Water
Price: $1.60+

The Pre-Smoke
The cigar’s bright green and gold band really stands out in the humidor. It calls out to be smoked. (Which is probably why I didn’t forget about them or where they came from.) In looking closer at the wrapper I found it to be a little veiny and lumpy, with kind of a worn look. Almost like a well worn leather jacked. With the sporty flourish of a name on the band, the cigar reminds me a little bit of a school varsity jacket.

I tested the firmness of the cigar and found it to be consistent, but a bit on the soft side. At the foot of one cigar there was a small triangular section missing from the wrapper. Otherwise the cigar had no visually apparent flaws.

Technically a flaw, but kinda cool looking

The scent of the wrapper was very light, slightly vegetal and sweet. At the foot it was a bit earthier. I got pretty much the same flavors in the cold taste. I took this as an indicator of what I had to look forward in the smoke: light and sweet.

The Burn
The burn was great in the first half of both cigars. Even, good volume of smoke and a sizable, solid, white 1 3/4 to 2 inch ash. The second half was a bit more problematic. The burn became uneven, the ash a bit crumbly, and the cigar made it clear to me that it was done smoking a lot earlier than I was. Of course, being generally stubborn and irrational, I don’t let the cigar tell me who’s boss when I’m doing a review.

One thing I didn’t have any trouble with was the draw. For me, draw problems weigh more heavily on my opinion of a smoke than an uneven burn. Though I have to say in the final third, it was an uphill battle to keep it lit, and as a result, the smoke was often a bit thin.

The Flavor
I was right in my suspicion that this would be a pretty light, sweet smoke. In the first third I got a lot of syrupy wood flavors, a little bit of coffee and some buttery creaminess. In the second third the sweetness took on a raisiny flavor and some tasty leather started to appear. In the final third the leather became more prominent, but the sweetness was still present. I also noticed the body picked up a bit in the final third. At it’s fullest point, it was around a medium body.

The Price
I’m not entirely sure of the price, as these were given to me, but I did a little snooping around the internet and saw them selling for around $40 for a bundle of 25. I intentionally did this review without checking on the price beforehand to see how these held up against other cigars. I’d say it did a pretty good job in the mild-to-medium body category.

The Verdict
I did enjoy the flavors in these cigars, but I think I would have preferred a fuller body. The lightness of the smoke left me wanting more and feeling a bit unsatisfied. However, I don’t think it’s a bad cigar, and I’m going to give it a pass on the burn issues. I’ll tell you why. It turns out the humidor I was keeping them in was running a little too high in terms of humidity. (Unfortunately I didn’t realize that until after I smoked them.) Based on the cigars’ proximity to the humidification unit, it makes a lot of sense that the second half would be so difficult to keep lit.

With user-error allowances made for the burn issues, at a price around $2 a smoke it’s hard to find any fault with them! As I mentioned earlier I smoked them without checking to price first, and would say they held up admirably against more expensive cigars. I’d say what we have here is a good candidate for a budget smoke!

Liked It: It was pretty good.
Buy It Again: I’ll keep it in mind.
Recommend It: Yes, for anyone looking for a lighter-bodied cigar with good flavor at a budget price.

The Tower of Burn
And here for your viewing pleasure, is the celebrated Tower of Burn.

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