In the chaotic weeks that lead up to this review, I’ve been smoking Nestor Miranda’s Grand Reserve with intention of putting up a review. Unfortunately, life and schedules haven’t been cooperating lately, and this already limited release has become even more limited in availability. Fortunately the 10,000 sticks that were produced haven’t vanished from the shelves just yet, allowing me to narrowly avoid reviewing a cigar our readers can’t find.
Billed as Nestor Miranda’s entry into “ultra-premium” cigars, the Grand Reserve is another in a line of manufacturing teamwork between Miami Cigar Company and My Father Cigars, a pairing which has already brought us such smokes as the Special Selection and a personal favorite, the Art Deco. As is to be expected from anything Pepin and company have a hand in making, there’s a good deal of Nicaraguan tobacco in it. In this case, it makes up the binder and all the filler. A Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper completes the package.
When it comes to buying them, there aren’t a lot of decisions to be made. The Grand Reserve comes in a single size, a 6 1/4 x 52 box-pressed torpedo. Which leaves you the choice of grabbing singles, or springing for slick looking a box of 10. That covers the basics, let’s get into the review.
Cigar Stats:
Size: 6 1/4 x 52
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Smoking Time: 2 hours
Beverage: Water
Source: Some purchased by reviewer, some samples
Price: MSRP $12.00
The Pre-Smoke
Before you even lay eyes on the cigar, you know a box-pressed torpedo is going to be good looking smoke. The Grand Reserve doesn’t disappoint. It’s smooth, uniform dark brown wrapper is broken by few larger veins, and decorated with an elaborate emerald and gold band. I didn’t see a single cosmetic flaw in the half dozen or so I smoked leading up to this review.
To the touch, the cigars felt as well made as they look. Firm and consistent, free of obvious internal irregularities. The wrappers of each had a very pungent compost aroma, and the cold draw seemed normal, offering up dark fruit and cedar notes.
The Burn
The combustion performance of the Grand Reserve was a little hit and miss. About half the time, the cigars burned flawlessly. The rest of the time, minor irritations such as uneven burn, splitting wrappers at the head and relights got in the way of complete enjoyment. With the exception a little extra air in worst of the split heads, the all-important draw was never an issue.
The Flavor
The Grand Reserve began it’s palate performance beautifully with rich cedar, earth and a touch of creamy coffee. It isn’t long before cedar and spice took over with earth and occasional sweet notes offering their support. Throughout the initial and well into the second third, the profile had a lasting, syrupy mouth feel.
Around the beginning of the middle third things started to get interesting. Sour cream and pepper joined the cedar-centric profile. In the background there were occasional hints of sweetness and coffee. At the halfway point, the sour cream had faded and was replaced by chocolate.
The pepper and spice ramped up in the final third, and the cedar flavor grew more intense. Chocolate as well as coffee were still present, though not quite as easy to pick out heavy cedar profile. When the cap construction allowed for it, it wasn’t hard to burn down to the nub.
The Price
I’ll be honest, twelve bucks is at the top end of my comfort zone, even though that zone has stretched upward a little over the years. While that hasn’t prevented me from buying Grand Reserves, it has limited the number I do buy, and the frequency of my purchases.
The Verdict
Burn irregularities and price aside, the Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve is very good smoke with a lot of rich flavor to offer. It’s easily my favorite of Miami Cigar’s 2011 releases. I may not spring for a box, but considering there’s only ten in them, I may well burn through one before they’re gone. I’m half way there already. If you can’t find them in your local shop (I haven’t had a problem so far), I know that one of our sponsors, Smoke Inn still has them in stock.
Liked It: Yes
Buy It Again: Very Likely
Recommend It: Yes
Tower of Burn
Here for your viewing pleasure is my trademark Tower of Burn.
Thanks for the review . I was interested if you guys were going to be reviewing this one…
Funky burns and popping/cracking wrappers…. for a $12 cigar…. pass. There is nothing more annoying (outside of an unbareable draw) than a cigar that falls apart. Does the wrapper just seem really thin to you? I thought a Connecticut Broadleaf is suppose to be a hardy/thick wrapper?
I like a lot of Nestor’s stuff but I have a very hard time laying out $12 for a single stick. I think I will stick to the Art Deco & Coffe break Special Selections.
I would drop 12-16$ on a stick as long as the reviews are amazing- that being said this one isn’t my cup of tea according to your tasting notes. I’ll throw that cash at a wolfman or an 85th anniversary first. These didn’t make it to my B&M anyways- if they had I would grab one or two, but after reading this I don’t think I’ll chase it down. Great review though!
Brian,
Great review. I always look forward to your reviews because I enjoy the written format and you seem to smoke at a similar pace to mine, relatively slow. Thank you for including the smoking time in your reviews. I smoke almost exclusively the petit corona or the double corona. Call me an extremist I guess. This is where the smoke time becomes particularly handy. I’ll smoke a Churchill or toro if I know I can get at least 2.5 out of it. Smoke more double coronas! Good stuff Brian.
It seems that each release by Nestor gets more expensive. This one is a bit too pricy for me. I like sour cream on my enchiladas, but I’m not so sure about having it in my cigars.
Great review, nonetheless.
I know it sounds strange, and I’m not even a fan of sour cream, but it works in this case. It helps that it isn’t a single dominant flavor, but part of a whole.
Sour cream? I missed that, but you’re the pro! I really liked this one too but they are hard to find. Great review as always!
I think the reason your cigar cracked was because of poor storage. A well humidified storage would make cracking/peeling very less likely. I think you just got a bad stick, my friend.
I bought one today and it looks absolutely mint. Well preserved.
This isn’t my first rodeo, cowboy. I’m pretty confident I have the storage down by now. A bad stick, possibly, or the shock of climate difference between warm humid humidor and the colder, dryer outside equally possible.