Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan Arganorsa
Filler: Nicaraguan Arganorsa
Body: Medium
Size: 5 x 52
Yesterday, I reviewed the Condega F Corojo stick. Today is the Condega Maduro’s turn. Now I had smoked the Corojo before I reviewed it but no such preview with this stick.
So here we go…The San Andres wrapper is more like an Oscuro than a maduro. It is close to jet black and probably won’t photograph well…at least not with my equipment. LOL!
This stick is extremely rustic. Lots of veins. The cigar is almost an oval and I’m not sure they intended it that way. The Nicaraguan Cigar Co needs to get more info on their web site because I am just guessing away. There is one thing noticeable…it looks like the torcedor that rolled this cigar screwed up and fixed the wrapper and I can see the glisten of the cigar glue on the wrapper. But if the stick is great, who cares?
The cigar is as hard as a rock. Just the tiniest amount of give.
I do the sniff-o-rama and detect barnyard, ammonia, cedar, and leather.
I light ‘er up.
The first puffs bring a tiny bit of spice. The draw is good allaying my fears that the tightness might make it difficult.
The first part of the cigar is just a hearty tobacco flavor. Then I get a bit of sweetness.
While no flavors jump out at me, the cigar can seen as a premium cigar, not a yard ‘gar.
Then half an inch in, the spice explodes on the tip of my tongue. The char line is close to perfect. And the ash is close to snow white…
The tightness of the tobacco makes me suck a little harder than I normally would, but at this point, I am hopeful, it will loosen up soon.
The cigar begins to soften. The red pepper is ramping up. The inside of my mouth feels the fire.
I am forced to use my ice pick tool to open up an airway for the cigar. This helps.
A new creaminess enters the picture taming the spice a bit.
It is really hard to draw on this cigar. I am going to light up the other one I have and see how that goes.
The new one has all the same flavor characteristics as the first one. And it also has that overly packed tobacco problem. I’ve got a plug near the cap that I must fix. I think I got rid of the plug but we shall see.
The cap on this one is a little sloppy.
I am still having a hard time with the draw. I am sucking so hard that I’m beginning to get the spins. Very little smoke emits from the foot while I smoke.
I use the ice pick tool once more.
I can’t smoke this cigar. I am going to have an embolism.