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Unlit Impressions

What a suave-looking stick! Everything about the packaging on this cigar screams "TRY ME!" and I am more than eager to comply. Paisley print, double-blue sleeving, strips of gold, thick textured paper, and the likeness of Arsenio himself on the top band all earn massive points for this stick in regard to curb appeal. Look close enough and you may even find a few Easter eggs hidden here and there. The Aganorsa Leaf name is integrated into the center of the paisley print, the date of Arsenio's birth is hidden on the upper band, and the "O" in his name doubles as a smoke ring. This folks, is precisely why we here at Klaro hand out extra points for banding and branding when we review a cigar.

Slide that snugly placed sleeve off, and you will discover a wrapper that is just as smooth and attractive as the paper that covers it. Virtually veinless and equally seamless, the light copper-colored corojo wrapper looks more like Connecticut Shade leaf than anything else in the right light. Sweet and sour sauce, caramelized sugars, and fermented hay sitting in the sunshine all greet the nostrils. Not the typical corojo leaf, you say?

Lighter and a lot more doughy smelling, the exposed end of the cigar shows great promise, with aromas of macadamia and nougat mixing with nondescript dried fruit smells and mixed baking spices. Take a tug from the cut cap and the macadamia flows forth first, followed by green raisins a kiss of pepper spice, and a vegetal taste that makes me think of green shishito peppers.

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Initial Smoke

The creamy nougat and macadamia cookie extravaganza continues after the foot is lit, and with a sweet, rather long finish forming, it is just as marvelous as it sounds on paper. The flavor is buttery too, almost like a dessert version of toasted points, but spicy too thanks to a floral retrohale that packs some smooth, yet recognizable corojo tanginess.

1st Half

Creamier than a cup of custard, the first half sends me back for puff after puff with glee, as a tiny twist of citrus peel adds a little pithiness atop the tongue. Szechuan pepper heat and the flavor that follows have formed, and beneath it, I find the trusted combination of criollo and corojo leaf balancing and antagonizing one another. Retrohales are vibrant and very clean, with very little spiciness to be felt, leaving a lot of room for the medium-bodied smoke to mellow out.

Retrohales only grow bolder once the middle of the cigar is coming into sight, and even then it is still so clean and creamy I cannot complain. Corojo leaf has taken full control of the situation everywhere else though, and that means tall glasses of sweet tea with slices of lemon and a lasting peppercorn pop of heat and flavor that is unforgettable. Draw and ash formation are near-perfect, and the finish is medium-length and still quite sweet.

2nd Half

Dry and tannin strong, the halfway mark sends things in a different direction transition-wise, with the cigar flavor profile loaning itself out to piles of split firewood and a crisper finish. Despite this shift, the smoke still maintains a creamy texture, and the sweetness of the finish stays on the palate for just long enough. And then suddenly, it doesn't...

As flavors of toasted oak barrel linings load up the flavor wagon with tannins, spicy sun-grown tobacco tastes and a whole lot of leather land in your lap. Sudden, and not all that balanced at times, the only saving grace in the final third is the incredibly floral retrohale. Slowly growing astringent, and tunneling a touch, I light the wrapper's edge to keep flavors combusting evenly and go to peel the cigar band away. Nearly five minutes later, I have finally managed to remove the excessively glued band, but only after a glob of the gooey stuff has taken a scrap of wrapper leaf with it. 

Parting Puffs

If there are any redeeming attributes in parting puffs, it is the citrusy tang that touches the tongue, and the hint of mineral notes knocking about. But these tastes aren't enough to mask, or balance, the astringent flavors that have formed and the taste bud scorching spiciness that has emerged. Unpleasantly hot in the hand, I set the stub of a cigar down and return my Bucksaw cigar journal for a few closing notes.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

This blend began with a beautiful burn, and with it came an immense white ash, a great draw, and near-perfect plumes of medium-bodied smoke. But both times, the blend began to struggle as it entered the final third, with high temps and the need for touch-ups turning what was once a wonderful-looking cigar into a hot mess. On the upside neither cigar went out on me, and everything combustion-wise up until the final third was either fantastic or very good.

Final Thoughts 

Arsenio is the tale of two very different cigars. The first few dozen puffs are beautifully written and expertly illustrated. Flavors of macadamia nuts, nougat, butter, and a balance between sweet and creamy medium smoke help keep the spicier, floral sides of the cigar in check, while an exquisite retrohale rules over all. The ash is near perfect, burn temps are ideal, and the future looks bright.

But the closer you come to the final third, the more things shift toward sharp, dry tastes, and with the addition of entirely too much citrus, an astringent finish forms. I find this to often be the case when stronger mineral notes and too much pepper combine with citrus peel and tannins, all of which the last few chapters of this cigar have in sizable sums.

Excessive amounts of heat and the need for a hefty touch with the torch soon sent things spiraling out of control, and my interest in my review cigar nearly went completely flat at that moment. The infuriating amount of glue used on the beautiful band only exacerbates the problem, and I am left shaking my head in disappointment for the second time while trying to finish what was once a magnificent cigar. Being that I encountered these exact same issues on both cigars smoked, and noted many of the same devolutions in flavor in the final third, I must say that this is one of those sticks that I will be apprehensive about finishing going forward. 

However, up until that final point is reached I can assure you that Arsenio delivers some of the best cigar smoke money can buy. Even before lighting up, you are guaranteed to be in for a treat, as the unlit aromatics from the wrapper and foot are ravishingly good. You will surely look quite sharp to boot with this cigar at your side, especially if you allow that paisley blue sleeve and Arsenio himself to peek out over the top of your breast pocket.

Stogie Specs