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Initial Smoke

Spicier than a sexy mamacita working her magic on you, the fire that is within this blend hits the tongue and nose with a striking amount of pepper spice for the first half-dozen puffs or so. But it soon mellows into a familiar habano backbone, and out comes all that oak. Almond butter is also easily detected, and its salty side works wonders when the dark chocolate begins to build. Tart berry tastes don't take very long to appear either, and their acidity plays perfectly off the bittersweet, saltier sides of the cigar. The draw is as free as a hippy on acid at a jam band reunion tour, and the medium-bodied smoke that flows forth is more than plentiful.

1st Half

Mellowing out, but sticking with the tart berry overtones on retrohale, the build-up begins with a heavy amount of oak beneath a balanced Broadleaf base. Peppery spices can still be detected on retrohale, as well as on the finish, but they are coated by a sticky molasses sweetness that keeps them in check. This creates an incredibly smooth first third that, in itself, is a slice of dessert.

Eventually, the blend gets a tad boozy and sweeter as well, with intensely aromatic amounts of smoke turning the room into a haze of dark tobacco temptation. Any funkiness is controlled by that all-habano filler magic sauce, and as you burn onward, you may realize that the oak never seems to let go. It may mellow out in areas, and then grow in potency at times, but it never stops sending you those toasty tannin smells and tastes. Nothing to do but move onward, allowing the cigar to evolve as intended and enjoy the ride.

2nd Half

Oilier and fuller, with not a bit of sharpness to be felt, the second half of the stick continues to create creamy dessert flavors, with a focus on barrel tannins and amazing aromatics being the big side quest. As the cigar slowly grows closer to medium-full in flavor and body, the taste of blueberry teff muffins lights on the tongue, and I smile. Sweet, hearty, and definitely chewy, this ancient grain is not something I taste in cigars often, so when I do, I always try to soak it up as much as possible.

An underlying acidity keeps the final third on track, and this is mostly present upon retrohale. Peppery notes and mulled wine spices circle back for another helping, as habano slowly builds a sub-level presence. Almond butter is back, and this time it is less salty, but far nuttier and darker in its roast. Still chewy and flowing like mad, the smoke does away with any barnyard funk for a moment, and the whole session shifts into a section where time seems to stand still. This is what after-dinner relaxation should be...

Parting Puffs

AJ Fernandez tends to bring the spice back in a big way in most of the bigger blends it creates, and this cigar is no exception. Nicotine also tends to follow this increase in peppery power, and in this case it is encased in a warm haze of heady smoke. Still fruity and slightly tart, the flavors of bittersweet chocolate build, and bolder Broadleaf cigar flavor profiles bloom in earnest. Leather and oak, soil and spice, sweet, funky molasses, and a clean, habano-heavy exhale via the nostrils turn the last of the cigar into a clean closure to a fantastic evening. 

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Beyond some waves in the burn line and some ash flake along the way, there really isn't much to bitch about when it comes to the combustion of this blend. Alright, so this larger vitola can cause overheating issues due to its overly open draw, but if you take your time, even this is totally manageable. Forming an ash that is a third of the barrel in length is easily done, and each discard reveals a picture-perfect cone. The smoke produced is also near-ideal in texture, with a gradual move from medium to medium-full taking place. 

Final Thoughts

As I sit and write this review, I think to myself about how this blend has changed the way I view dessert cigars. Sure, there are far more complex smokes out there. Believe me, I've either smoked them or plan on sampling them in my lifetime. But here's something to be said for having that "old faithful" stick in your stash that you can always turn to and never feel let down. 

My only issues are that this cigar likes to burn hot, even when a slimmer ring-gauge is selected, and this can lead to some unpleasant char flavors if you aren't careful. So try and punch this one, or use a V-cut if a punch is not available. It also suffers from having entirely too much glue on both of its bands, so removal often results in some foul language and the occasional cracked wrapper. This tends to be the case on every stick I have smoked, and because the bands are so tightly applied, sliding them off is completely out of the question. I also would prefer a bit more chocolate from start to finish to help balance the berry tartness and those salty almond butter flavors, which in certain sticks can be far stronger.

That said, I do strongly recommend smoking this cigar as soon as you get it and you've allowed it to rest in your humidor for a week or so. I have aged this blend for a few months to see how flavors change, and many of those chocolate-covered berry notes die back a good bit with time, leaving behind more of a mixed Broadleaf and Brazilian cigar flavor profile. It's still very tasty, but definitely not the same cigar. So smoke this one as soon as you can, and enjoy all that it has to offer. Which just so happens to be a whole hell of a lot of delicious dessert cigar tastes and aromatics, with just the right amount of spicy edginess and funk to keep you coming back for another puff.

Overall Balance & Repeatability