A couple of weeks ago I was driving home from work and decided to swing into my local B&M, Sir Stogies. I was in the mood for a firecracker of a cigar and was short on time. I made my way into the humidor and found an empty box of Guerrilla Warfare.

I poked around in the humidor for a couple of minutes looking for something else that fit the bill. That was the first time I laid eyes on the Esteban Carreras Chupa Cabra. I had no experience with the line but the name and presentation gave me the impression it was along the lines of what I was looking for.

I picked one up for a little less than $5 and wound up smoking it a couple of days later (I got side tracked in the shop and wound up smoking something else before leaving).

While the Guerrilla Warfare and the Esteban Carreras Chupa Cabra are similair in size and strength, the flavor profiles were very different. The Chupa Cabra was made up of favors that I think of as dark. There was an earthy tone, a raisin-like sweetness, little bit of coffee, and a lingering black pepper that clung to the palate. The body was full and the finish was semi-creamy.

Where the cigar gave me trouble was in the construction department. During my commute I was constantly reaching for the lighter to get the cigar burning again. The high maintenance cigar wouldn’t be a big deal if I were lounging with a lighter close at hand but became very problematic while I was barreling down the road.

For the money, the Esteban Carreras Chupa Cabra is worth a shot.