July 24, 2012

Review: Illusione Singularé 2012 Maduro

Today's review is for a cigar that had been hinted at for awhile, but nobody thought was going to be released anytime soon. That was until Dion Giolito, owner of Illusione Cigars, tweeted that the cigars began being shipping to retailers on July 13th. The 2012 version of the Singularé comes packed in a box containing two different cigars. This one (the maduro) and another of the same size and shape, but with a natural wrapper.

Quote from Dion about the Singularé 2012 Maduro: This was one of the blends I put together while in Miami at our “playpen.” The blend to this cigar is specific to 2 farms in Esteli, and one in Jalapa. The wrapper is maduro, San Andreas. This cigar is completely different in blend and taste profile from the Corojo 2011/2012 that sits next to it in the box.

The original Singularé was a fantastic stick that I don't think received as much publicity as it deserved. Despite everyone I know who smoked enjoying it very much, it still didn't seem to gain the following other small batch releases have had in the past few years. Let's see how this release stacks up.


Specifics
Vitola: Parejo
Length: 6
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $12.00
Smoking Location: NHC office
Beverage: water

Pre-Light 


This is the first paper-wrapped cigar I have smoked in a long time. I'm not sure what the history is behind this tradition, but it gave it a pretty cool look and made the cigar feel just a hint more special. The maduro wrapper was dark brown and red color with a ton of small veins all over the leaf. The veins were so abundant that I thought it looked like a spiderweb. The aroma from the unlit cigar was full of raisin and coffee notes. The cold draw also tasted strongly of raisins.

First Third
Smooth was the name of the game when it came to the first third of my Singularé 2012 Maduro. The flavor profile consisted of a slight pepper and honey combo on the front, with a coffee and cream taste on the finish. Both were refined in complexity and, again, very smooth. It almost felt like the smoke was liquid floating across my palate. Speaking of the smoke, there was a lot of it. The two of us smoking in the NHC office filled the place in no time. Make sure you have a window cracked if you plan to smoke this stick indoors. The nicotine strength was in the medium to full range.

Second Third
The second third of my Singularé 2012 Maduro had a flavor change up on both ends of the profile. The front end still had some mild pepper taste, but it was now mixed in nicely with some dark baking chocolate flavor. This flavor is one I find I tend to get a lot when smoking sticks with Mexican San Andres wrappers. The finish which was cream and coffee before had evolved into more of a fresh espresso flavor with a bit of a bite. I drink a lot of espresso so you can imagine enjoyed this. What this flavor did do also is ruffen up a bit of the smooth texture that I got so much of in the first third. It didn't make it harsh or unpleasant, just a different texture than before. The nicotine strength level was still medium-full.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

There was nothing new to report in the final third. The flavors continued to be identical to the second third with a mild pepper and baking chocolate front, espresso finish. One thing I should mention that was the consistently flaky ash from start to finish. Keep your ashtray near or you'll be burning holes in your shirt in no time. The stick maintained a medium-full in strength.

Final thoughts on the Singularé 2012 Maduro? I was worried about this cigar before I smoked it because I was not a fan of the maduro releases from Illusione in 2011. I'm happy to report that, for me, this cigar was way better than those previous releases. The flavors were strong and enjoyable from start to finish. Another release from Dion that will be added to my rotation. If you're looking for som,e you can pick them up here.

Would I buy it again? Yes.

Would I buy a box? Buying a box is almost like buying a sampler with the two different cigars in it. Yes, it's box-worthy.

Dan

July 21, 2012

Review: L'Atelier Surrogates Tramp Stamp (pre-release)

Just like a few days ago, today's review is for a brand new stick coming from L'Atelier Surrogates. The Tramp Stamp (referring to the pop culture name for a tattoo on ones' lower back) is an obvious play on words with Tatuaje (Spanish for tattoo.) Tramp Stamp will be the fourth release in the Surrogates line and the second to be sold through the new L'Atelier Imports company. (Check my last review for info on the origin of Surrogates and L'Atelier.) Pete Johnson (the owner of Tatuaje) has been quoted as saying that it is a blend based off of his personal "Black Label" blend that, up until a few years ago, was only available at Tatuaje events Pete attended. I'm a big fan of most of the Black Label releases, so I was very interested to see what this take on the blend would be like.

Specifics
Vitola: Corona Gorda-ish
Length: 5 1/4
Ring Gauge: 48
Wrapper: Ecuadoran Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $6.00
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light 

The image on the Tramp Stamp band is perfect for the name --a classic, almost cliche "tramp stamp" tattoo-looking butterfly. Props for the creativity. It's not the classiest band, but hey. It's called Tramp Stamp. What did you expect? The wrapper was a very lush, dark brown with a lot of visible oils. There were just a few big veins, but all-in-all, it wasn't too ugly a wrapper. The aroma was faint, but I picked up cedar and hay, especially near the foot which was closed off with extra wrapper. The cold draw was tight (closed foot) but had a strong, distinct fresh almond flavor. Something also to note: this is is the first cigar in the Surrogates line with a smaller ring gauge. I'm sure that will make at least a few cigar enthusiasts happy, since the current model for new cigars seems to be the bigger the better.

First Third
Lighting the closed foot of my Tramp Stamp was no issue and produced a nice, even burn straight away. The immediate Pepin black pepper was on full on the front with a spicy clove element that really had my palate roaring. The finish was just as strong in flavor with a herbal taste that gave way to some oak and leather. I burned about an inch into the stick and the flavors only got stronger, but they also seemed to get smoother and blended a bit more between the spicy front end and complex finish. To say I was happy with this kind of start is an understatement. The construction was excellent; even with the wind we were having, the ash held strong. I'd put the nicotine strength in the medium range.

Second Third
The second third of my Tramp Stamp had many similar characteristics as the first (a good thing), but also a a few changes. The signature black pepper flavor on the front fell off a bit, but that's not to say the spiciness had. What the pepper gave away to was a stronger version of the sweet/spicy clove that had been present in the first third, but at this point, had become a real focal point. I love everything about clove - always have, so I was really enjoying myself. The finish lost the oak notes from the first third, but picked up some hints of espresso in addition to the leather. Espresso and leather sounds like an odd combo, but I have a tendency to pick it up in many of the cigars I smoke. The construction and nicotine strength were consistent with the first third - perfect and medium, respectively.  

Final Third and Final Thoughts 
The front of the flavor profile in the final third was a clone of the second, but the finish took an interesting twist. The finish (especially down at the nub) took on a very clean and obvious mocha flavor. I was not expecting this, as there were no hints in the first two parts of this cigar. The mocha created a new balance with the spicy clove (and slight pepper) that was still going strong on the front. Truly, this addition was icing on the cake for me. Unlike a lot of cigars I've smoked recently, the nicotine strength didn't ramp up at the end but instead stayed a consistent medium the whole way through - a great smoke for anytime of the day.

Final thoughts on the L'Atelier Surrogates Tramp Stamp (pre-release)? If you read the review above, you'll notice that I pretty much gushed about how much I enjoyed this cigar. It is something I could easily smoke back to back. (I wish I had more!) People are going to ask how it compares to the Tatauje Black label and, in my opinion, it has a lot of the same characteristics but takes them to the next level. A new contender for Cigar of the Year has arrived for me.

Would I buy it again? Yes.

Would I buy a box? Multiple.

Dan

July 20, 2012

Review: EP Carrillo INCH Maduro (pre-release)

Up for review is the soon to be released (at the IPCPR 2012 tradeshow) INCH by EP Carrillo. Rumors of this cigar have been around for quite some time and, just in the past two months, pictures have begun to surface.

Some info on the INCH from various sources: This cigar is being produced in both Maduro and Natural wrappers. Connecticut Broadleaf for the Maduro and Ecuador Sumatra wrapper for the Natural. They both have the same blend of Nicaraguan binders and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. Both cigars are said to be medium to full in strength and have a suggested price of $8.75-$10.00

It looks like it will take a long time to burn this one down, so let's get to it.

Specifics
Vitola: Super Gordo
Length:6 1/4
Ring Gauge: 64
Wrapper: Connecticut broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican
Price: between  $8.75-$10.00
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light 

The branding on the INCH is a big departure from what EP Carrillo has done in the past and I think it's great. The vintage ruler image on the band is original and very creative. Big props to whomever did this design work. Next let's talk about size. This cigar is an absolute giant. If you thought the MUWAT from Drew Estate is big, it's got nothing on the INCH. I had to find a different cutter than what I normally use to clip this stick. The broadleaf wrapper was dark and spotty with some reddish hues which really showed up in bright sunlight. There were lots of little veins, which is typical for this type of wrapper. The pre-lit aroma gave off some coffee and vanilla scents. The cold draw was nice, free, and had a strong almond flavor. 

First Third
Getting this stick to burn evenly from the start was a bit of a problem, but once I got it going, it produced smoke nicely. The starting profile consisted of dark black coffee on the front, which was very rich, and some mild cayenne pepper on the finish. There was not much spice to the pepper, but a lot of flavor. What surprised me about the first third of this cigar was  that I got hardly any of the broadleaf taste that I am used to, but I am guessing it's because of the sheer volume of tobacco used in the fill. The smoke itself was pretty thin, which to me was a good thing with this size, because I'm certain something heavy would have rocked me. The nicotine level was in the medium range.

Second Third
The second third of my INCH from EP Carrillo was where the broadleaf sweetness showed up. The front of the profile still had coffee notes, but now was equaled by a sugary sweetness from the wrapper. The finish lost any pepper it had previously and now tasted strongly of almonds, just like in the cold draw. The burn was pretty wavy and I did have to give it a few touch-ups to stop any running. With a cigar this size, you're gonna have that. Again, the smoke was pretty thin but full of flavor. I'd put the nicotine level up a notch here and say it was in the medium-full range. 

Final Third and Final Thoughts 
The final third had a little tweak to the flavor profile in the finish and a big tweak to the nicotine power. This cigar was easily in the full power range at this point and I had to smoke slower to avoid any head spins. The front end was still coffee and sugar, but the finish had a lot of anise in the taste which I didn't see coming at all in the first two thirds of this giant. The smoke also seemed to get thicker toward the end which was a nice, but I'm glad it wasn't like that the whole cigar or it would have felt like a workout. The burn was still pretty wavy, so keep your lighter near.

Final thoughts on the EP Carrillo INCH? Even with the jaw breaking size of this cigar, I still enjoyed the heck out of it. I'm glad it was blended to not be full-on power the whole way because it would have been too much. The flavors were strong and definitely had some changes through out to keep me from getting bored on such a long smoke.

Would I buy it again? Yes

Would I buy a box? This would be a great cigar for tailgating because of how long a smoke time you get out of it, so a box purchase isn't out of the question, but I wouldn't smoke something this large on a daily basis.

Dan

July 17, 2012

REVIEW: L'Atelier Surrogates Crystal Baller (pre-release)

Let's talk about a new stick coming soon from the Surrogates brand of cigars. Surrogates, for those of you who don't know, is a line of cigars owned by Dan Welsh, owner/operator of  New Havana Cigars. There were two releases from this line this past year - the Skull Breaker and the Bone Crusher. Much buzz was around these cigars in the early days because Dan was not forthcoming with where these sticks were being made and explained that it was an experiment he was conducting.

Dan explained the experiment as this: I was curious, given my business model, how much hype goes into our smoking and buying decisions. Although I am thoroughly an advocate of educating ourselves as to what we are smoking, eating or drinking - so as to develop our palate and make better decisions when choosing future things - I also think that when we try something new without the hype of a limited release, or a certain manufacturer or claims of aged tobacco or 100% ligero, etc., that we come across a more authentic tasting experience.   So, being that it is not limited - this seemed like a great opportunity to tell everyone 'try it and decide'.

Fast forward a few months to now and we all know the cat is out of the bag with the experiment, and that Pete Johnson of Tatuaje fame blended and produced these sticks at the My Father Cigar factory in Esteli. Now to add one more chapter to the story of the Surrogates brand, the former two releases and the two newer releases (this one and Tramp Stamp) are being licensed out to be made for a new company called L’Atelier Imports for the foreseeable future. L'Atelier is a new company formed by Dan Welsh, Pete Johnson, K.C. Johnson, and Shawn Johnson. I don't tend to write news stories on this site, so if you want the full scoop on L'Atelier, check out Cigar Brief's post or Charlie's Halfwheel post.

OK. Now that all of the information is out of the way, let's move on to the review.

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto +ish, with a box press
Length: 5 3/4
Ring Gauge: 56
Wrapper: Ecuadoran Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $8.00
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light 

The first thing I noticed while looking at my Crystal Baller was the wrapper and just how much lighter a wrapper Surrogates used for this line in comparison to its older brothers. I know it comes from a different seed entirely, so I shouldn't have been surprised, but it was different seeing the standard "Surrogates" band on a lighter, peanut brown-colored wrapper. The artwork was simple and still looked a bit sinister, which kept the design in line with the others, even though there are no bones or death on this one. The box press was not too hard but hard enough to give it that box-pressed feel in your hand. (That sounds dumb, but you know what I mean if you smoke box-pressed cigars). The pre-lit aroma was filled with natural sweetness and light molasses notes at the open foot. I had no problems with clipping the cap; the draw was free with just a slight resistance. The flavors from the cold draw were a mixture of that same natural sweetness but included some citrus and plum flavors.

First Third
Thick and rich doughy flavors hit the center of my palate right away when I got my Crystal Baller sparked up. It was almost like biting into a baguette, but without the crunch (obviously.) That was the front of the profile, but just as interesting on the finish was a sweet yet salty spice that lasted awhile between puffs. It was in no way a peppery spice, but a combo of sweet and salty. If you've ever had homemade ice cream that wasn't made exactly right and you pick up a lingering bit of salt....that was it exactly. It worked well to cut into some of the richness that came on strong at the beginning of each puff. The burn was straight and the draw excellent. I'd put the nicotine level in the medium range.

Second Third
During the second third of my Crystal Baller, I was still picking up a lot of the "bready" flavor from the first third, but at this point, it wasn't as rich or dominate. Mixing in on the front was a slight hint of graham cracker and burnt sugar that seemed to go back and forth in strength between draws. The finish also had a change up and picked up (at one point, very strongly) some dry cocoa notes. Think dry NESQUIK powder before you add the milk. The salty flavor was still there, too, but not as strongly or in your face as it had been in the first third. Again, no issues at all with the burn nor the draw. Another note worth mentioning was how strong and dense the ash was. At this point, I'd still say the strength was medium but could tell it was building.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 
The final third brought on more spice than earlier on the front of the profile. The consistent bread flavor was absolutely still there, but instead of the graham or burnt sugar notes, I picked up a rather strong, spicy nutmeg. Yup. I didn't see that one coming either. This flavor continued to dominate the front of the profile until the end of the cigar. Speaking of domination, the saltiness returned full tilt on the finish during the final third and, again, acted as a nice balance to cut into the deep flavors from the front of each draw. The construction was perfect to the nub and I'd say the nicotine level did pick up in the final third to a solid medium-full. It's not going to knock you over with nicotine power, but it will let you know it's there.

Final thoughts on the L'Atelier Surrogates Crystal Baller (pre-release)? This cigar had a lot going on and noteworthy, staple consistency. The bread flavor is definitely the main taste profile for this smoke, but the other flavors seemed to jump in and out enough to keep anyone from getting anything close to bored. It certainly had unique flavor combos that I don't often get in other cigars. It's nothing at all like the other Surrogates releases that I love, but a solid cigar nonetheless.

Would I buy it again? Yes.

Would I buy a box? I tend to like a more peppery cigar for a full box purchase, but for its uniqueness and my curiosity on how these will age, I'd be in for a box. Plus, the price is excellent.

Dan

July 15, 2012

REVIEW: AVO Heritage

Today's cigar review is for a line a lot of people were very excited about coming out of the 2010 IPCPR trade show. Somehow, over the past two years, I've never taken the time to smoke one or, if I did, I don't remember it. I went with the smallest size in the line because my smoking time was short. An interesting note: while the Avo Heritage line was released in 2010, this size was only released back in February of 2012.

From the AVO Heritage press release: Centuries of tradition, knowledge and passion are what you will dicover in each AVO Heritage cigar created by Master Cigar Composer Avo Uvezian, alongside undisputed Master of Tobacco Hendrik Kelner – assisted by Eladin Diaz and Manuel Peralia, plus the many talented farmers, blenders, and rollers.

A lot of collaboration went into this cigar, and from most of the things I have heard, it has paid off. Time to give the Avo Heritage a go for myself.

Specifics  
Vitola: Short Corona
Length: 3 5/8
Ring Gauge: 43
Wrapper: Ecuadorian sun-grown
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Price: $6.00
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water
Manufacture's Website: http://www.avo.com

Pre-Light  

This is a small cigar and feels like a small cigar. I smoke a lot of shorter sticks due to weather and timing issues, but this one feels exceptionally small. The wrapper of my AVO Heritage was a medium to dark borwn color with almost perfect circle-shaped black dots. It was a pretty rough looking cigar. The pre-lit aroma smelled like plums and other dark stone fruit. The cold draw was nice, free, and also had a dark, fruity taste to it.

First Half  
Lighting my AVO Heritage was no issue, but the first flavors I got out of the cigar were not really to my liking. The front of the profile had a lot of grassy, vegetable flavors that once reaching the end turned sour. The other part of the finish was a rather harsh white pepper taste. It's a little cigar but it produced a lot of flavor that, unfortunately, I was not digging. The construction on the other hand was perfect. I had no issues with running burn lines or tight draws. The nicotine strength was a solid medium from the get go.

Second Half and Final Thoughts  
It didn't take long to burn into the second half of my AVO Heritage and really nothing in this half changed from the first. The front profile taste was still very grassy and toward the end, very musty. The back end white pepper flavor did die down a bit and was no longer harsh, but for me was overshadowed by the front. Construction stayed spot on and the cigar burned a very dark ash, which was interesting. The nicotine level never rose above medium.

My final thoughts the AVO Heritage: I'm a little surprised by how much this cigar didn't agree with me, but agrees with a lot of other folks I know who, typically, like similar cigars as me. Maybe in this smaller size  the blend doesn't hold up? Or maybe I just don't have the taste profile for this stick in my wheelhouse of enjoyable cigars. Anyway, to each there own and, even though I didn't like it, make sure you try it for yourself.

Would I buy it again? Maybe in a different size, but not this size again.

Would I buy a box? See above.

Dan

July 11, 2012

REVIEW: Arturo Fuente Don Gran AniverXario

Tonight's review is for a stick that comes with a little story. My partner at Cigar Explorer Mario attended a charity event in New York a few weeks back which was hosted by Carlito Fuente. I'm sure Mario took video of the event, but he has been very busy and is back logged with videos at this time. Anyway, during the after party at the Grand Havana Room, Carlito handed Mario a couple of these cigars and said, "Nobody has this one." What does that mean? I don't know. What I do know is Mario saved one for me, so I'm thankful to him for that. From doing some Google research (I will readily admit that I'm an amateur regarding Fuente products), this cigar looked like the Arturo Fuente Don Gran AniverXario Natural.

Some early history on Arturo Fuente Don Gran AniverXario Natural from a Old Prometheus press-release via Halfwheel: Carlito Fuente has created a new cigar, Don Arturo Gran AniverXario, in tribute to his grandfather, Arturo Fuente. These cigars are made with the legendary wrapper leaves from Chateau de la Fuente, the birthplace of a dream. Carlito Fuente made Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigars in 2001 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Arturo Fuente Cigar Company, which was founded by his grandfather in 1912. He planned to release Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigars every year, starting in 2002, to celebrate the 100th Anniversary. However, these cigars were never released. Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigars have been aging in the Fuente aging room since 2001. These 7-year-old cigars will finally be presented in the Limited Edition Fuente Story Humidors produced by Prometheus. 

So, with all that said, I don't even know if this cigar is the previously-released Arturo Fuente Don Gran AniverXario. Could it be one of the delayed 100th year Anniversary cigars that are not coming until 2013? Speculating is something fun, but in the long run, really doesn't mean anything. For the purpose of this review I'm simply going to call it Gran AniverXario.
Specifics
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: ?
Binder: ?
Filler: ?
Price: ?
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light 

The band on this cigar was awesome. I know...I bet I surprised you, given my tendancy to go for the less-is-more approach to cigar band art, but this one really just worked. There was so much going on -- from the portraits to all the symbols -- yet, to me, it really does look like a well-executed, classic Cuban design. The wrapper was a peanut butter brown color with lots wood spalting characteristics. Easily put, it looks old. There were medium-sized veins running around the leaf, but because the wrapper appeared to be thick, I didn't anticipate any burn issues. The unlit aroma had notes of raw honey and walnuts. The cap clipped without issue and the cold draw had a lot of sweet, sugary flavors with the walnut creeping back in. 

First Third
Right out of the gate, my Gran AniverXario produced a lot of strong flavors. The front of the taste profile had a thick raw honey flavor mixing with a twangy sugary sweetness and some wood notes. The finish was a powerful black pepper flavor that was spicy but lacked any mouth burning and was easy on the taste buds. It's only the first third, but wow. This cigar was impressing me. The draw and the burn were perfect; the ash, although looking pretty weak, did not fall even in the breezy weather we were having (Yay, it's not 100+ degrees!) I'd put the nicotine strength in the mild to medium range.

Second Third
The second third of my Gran AniverXario had a slight change on the front of the profile with some toast flavor elements mixing in, but they did not take away at all from the honey, sugar, and wood combo from the first third. The finish was consistent with the black pepper that lingered long between each draw. I know that is a lot of different flavors in my description, but I really was getting all of them and getting them strongly. This cigar was pumping out so much flavor, it was hard to not rush smoking it. Once again, no problems with the burn or draw, and the ash only fell right before reaching the band on the stick. The nicotine strength moved up a bit in the second third and I would call it medium.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 
Just when I thought I had this stick figured out, the final third threw another thing into the ring. The front was still producing all the flavors I mentioned above, but the finish now added a tart grapefruit note just after I exhaled. It lasted a very short amount of time before fading into the black pepper from before, but it was definitely there and seemed to work well as a buffer between the sweet front end and the spicy back. I only ashed this cigar once before burning it all the way until my fingers were hot so yeah: constuction doesn't get much better than that. The nicotine strength stayed in the medium range.

Final thoughts on the Arturo Fuente Don Gran AniverXario? This was one hell of a cigar. Like I admitted, I am not a Fuente expert, but I have smoked my fair share of Anjeo and Opus X. For me, this cigar blew any of the ones I have smoked previously out of the water. Tons of full on strong flavors and great balance, even with the complexity. This is in the top five cigars I have smoked this year so far. 

Would I buy it again? Yes

Would I buy a box? This (if it's an old Gran AniverXario or a new one) is a very pricy cigar. But if money was no option I would buy a box in a heartbeat.

Dan

July 4, 2012

Review: Alec Bradley American Sun Grown Blend

Happy forth of July everyone. I'm sorry content has been a little slow coming out of the site recently but my life has been very busy with summer travel. Excuses excuses I know. Anyway, the cigar up for review today is a fitting one given it's Independence day, the Alec Bradley American Sun Grown Blend. (That's a mouthful). I was given this stick from the infamous @AB_therockstar Barry Blonder while hanging out at Governor's Smoke Shop last week. That was my first time talking to Barry for more than five seconds and what a down to earth great guy he is.

Anyway, I little about the cigar taken from the Alec Bradley Website: On the heels of last year’s “American Classic Blend” release, Alec Bradley Cigars has announced the release of “American Sungrown Blend,” a fuller-bodied, all-Nicaraguan leaf blend. Priced affordably, the “American Sungrown Blend” offers an extension to the American Classic selection with a little more spice. The cigars will retail between $4.20 to $5.75, and scheduled to arrive at retail cigar stores by [July 4th. 2012].

The price point on these cigars is a great relief to the wallet, and I'm sure that played into the popularity of the American Classic Blend. For me that blend was a little underwhelming, but the description of the Sun Grown sounds right to my liking. On to the review.

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun-Grown Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $4.75
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water (it's hot as hell out)

Pre-Light 


The first thing I noticed when holding my American Sun Grown (SG from now on) was how oily the wrapper was. The color of the leaf is dark brown with a few medium sized veins, but again what really stands out is sheen visible when light hits the cigar. Let's talk band. Alec Bradley tends to do a lot of big detail oriented bands. The America is just that. The design is busy, but not so much that it's turns into a mess of color and embossing. Nicely done. The pre-lit aroma was sweet with a lot of cedar scents to it, pretty common. What was far from common was the cold draw which had a fruity concord grape, or even blueberry compote taste. That sounds crazy but it's what I was picking up. And picking up strongly.

First Third
My American SG lit up easily and produced a lot of smoke right away. The draw was perfect with a slight resistance but easy to puff on. The initial flavors were a mild tingly spice (felt and tasted mostly on the sides of my tongue) on the front with some light espresso on the finish to round out the profile. The flavors were nice but somewhat muted. About an inch into the cigar I started to get some leather flavor on the front also mixing in with the mild spice. The burn was spot on. I'd put the nicotine strength level as a solid medium. 

Second Third
In the second third of my American SG had the spice on the front dissipate and the leather flavor take over. The finish also changed up completely and tasted now of bitter baking chocolate. Just like the first third the flavors were not super pronounced but were still enjoyable. The draw and burn continued to be excellent and I never had to reach for my lighter to do a touch up. Even with smoking in the extremely humid weather we are having here I had a straight burn line. The nicotine strength was again a consistent medium. 

Final Third and Final Thoughts 
The final third of my American SG is where the muted flavors from the first two thirds really stepped up. The front was a much more pronounced leather taste, and the finish was very very long with a strong baking chocolate flavor. I'd say this was the most interesting part of the cigar for sure. The nicotine level also ramped up a bit and was now in the medium-full range. Just like the first two thirds to construction was spot on, and it was very easy to nub the stick.

Final thoughts on the Alec Bradley American Sun Grown Blend? This cigar was very easy to smoke which is what I was looking for on such a hot day. The final third is really where it shined for me so if you give this one a shot don't put it down early or you will miss out. A solid release for Alec Bradley.

Would I buy it again? Yes, and the price point is fantastic

Would I buy a box? For my full box purchases I like a bit more of a spicy cigar, but I would do a split with someone.

Dan