Cigar: Reposado by AJ Fernandez
Size: Salomon (7.1 x 58)
Wrapper: Habano
Filler: Nicaragua
Drink: None

Pre-light:
Nice looking wrapper on a very large unbanded cigar. Cut the end with a borrowed pair of Xikar scissors a little over 1/4 of an inch up the cigar. Even with the small little nipple lit at the lighting end of the cigar the draw is perfect. The aroma from the smoke is nothing special to me. The opening flavor contains a pretty strong pepper flavor.

1st 3rd:
After it gets past burning the nipple off hitting the fattest part of the cigar it begins producing a large amount of smoke. I push a little too much through my nose and get an overpowering blast of pepper (and nose burn). The wrapper begins to split about an inch down from the burn, seems the filler has expanded too much. Toward the end of the first third the pepper lingers in the background and the smoke becomes much creamier with very very subtle hints of moca.

2nd 3rd:
I have now smoked past the part of the cigar where the wrapped had broke, the burn is even and required no touch ups even with the split wrapper. The pepper flavor has completely dissipated along with the hint of mocha and has been replaced with leathery notes with light hints of black licorice that linger on the palate.

3rd 3rd:
The final third has really mellowed out, and I have decided this is a medium bodied Nicaraguan cigar. The slight hint of pepper has returned. The flavor has died out toward the end of the smoke now with ‘dirty’ hints of pepper and mocha. After and hour and 45 minutes of smoking I am ready to move on to a different cigar. (Flash makes the wrapper look lighter in the above picture)

Bottom Line:
I paid $2.85 for the cigar (if you buy a chest of 50 they will cost you $2.00 each). I would definitely buy it again, seeing it was a pretty enjoyable Salomon for under $3. However, the first half seemed to be the highlight of the cigar.

Recommend it: Yes
Buy it: Bought 5 more.
Smoke it again: That is why I bought more, isn’t it?