Rum cask conditioned not once, but twice, Unforsaken by Esteban Carreras is a boutique cigar blend that takes the whole "booze & stogies" pairing idea to a whole other level.

Previously known as "Unforgiven" by the cigar smoking community, this Sumatran-wrapped smoke spends much of its early life inside 18-year-old Flor de Caña rum casks prior to being rolled. Then, after being hand-rolled, Esteban Carreras takes the unusual additional step of taking the completed product and placing it right back inside the barrel.

Interestingly, the barrels utilized are internally modified to prevent the tobacco from becoming too boozy. This likely involves shaving down the inner walls of the aging vessel and/or allowing the cask to "breathe" once the barrelhead has been removed. Either way, this dual-prong approach to augmenting the aromatics and flavor of a cigar is pretty fascinating, and not something you encounter all that often.

That being said, how does this all translate to a superior cigar-smoking experience? Does double-cask-aging a premium cigar blend really make that much of a difference? Consider me intrigued...

[Buy 5-Pack]

Unlit Impressions 

Cedar-sleeved and sporting the classic lion insignia found on all Esteban Carreras cigars, the appealing end of this blend is nearly perfectly implemented in my opinion. There is some minor ink smudging on one of the cedar sleeves, but it is minor and the only portion of the packaging that seems off. Black silk foot bands and silver accents all strike the eye in the right light, and outside of the sleeve being a touch tight, its removal is smooth. 

Beneath, you will find a far more mottled, leather-like Sumatran leaf. Mahogany in color, and showing some tooth, this roughly textured wrapper is both attractive and unkempt. Seams rise up in areas, leaf veins feel firm, and in the case of the review stick, a portion of the binder pokes out through the center of the wrapper. 

The moist smell of wet leaves in autumn tree bark, loam, cedar, sun-grown tobacco, and mixed teas tone down any spice notes along the Sumatran wrapper's barrel. This fermented funkiness is found in the foot as well, but in a musty, sweet fruity form, which is both dark and refreshing. Refined and intriguing indeed, but nary a whiff of rum cask to be had outside of some stray oak tannins.

Extremely sweet cold draws send me reeling. Spiced gum drops and stewed fig preserves, along with toasted almonds and oak all hit the tongue, followed by that spiced milk tea taste that Sumatran leaf lovers like myself pine for every waking moment. Quite the impressive unlit impression, and completely different than what is detected by scent alone just a moment prior!

Initial Smoke

Oddly enough, this cigar started me off both times with the flavor of muscadine skins. That juicy, grape-like tannin sweet and bitter taste folds itself into layers of oak, and a sweet and salty flavor that is bold and somewhere between nuts and dry-cured jerky. 

1st Half

Once the Sumatran side of the cigar starts to show itself, out comes the dark soil, dank wood bark, and a whole bunch of tea tastes. Impressively, the cigar manages to maintain a medium strength level along with a smooth retrohale that loads you up with a milk tea and blackened toast mixture. It's a funky, heavily aged tobacco taste that is a touch dry in a most pleasant way.

As the cigar starts to turn more chai tea tasting and spice-centric in the second third, along comes a milky latte coffee bean concoction to make things even more complex and mellow out any spicy sharpness. The impressive aromatics of smooth retrohales and a very long finish improve upon everything being detected and make the increasing nicotine levels and body a bit more muted. Or at the very least, stomachable for those who are acutely sensitive to such tobacco intensities. 

2nd Half

Darkness drowning out all that is light within the blend, and oaky tannins taking over as the primary flavor, the second half of this cigar starts its spiral into the depths of the cask from which it came. Turbinado sugars and sticky resins, along with a nice build-up of bitterness stand strong beside the dry barrel hardwood tannins and funky Nicaraguan fermented leaf piles bunched inside this blend. 

Body and strength are both full by the time the final third forms, and while the finish lingers for what feels like forever, the flavor remains smooth enough to be considered medium-full. You also get served a single pour of rum right at the end of this third, a welcome surprise both times for me that unfortunately felt a little bit late in its delivery. 

Retrohales, meanwhile, are still smoother than a serving of custard pudding on a sea of caramel sauce. The increase in nicotine, however, is anything but mellow. As a hefty amount of the stuff sends me reaching for my beverage, a smile creeps across my face. Buzz aside, this is such a refined-tasting smoke that I don't mind the strength whatsoever, especially in the final third.

Parting Puffs

As rum raisin ice cream compliments your taste buds with creamy textures and a little bit of barrel-aged booze, sweet cedar starts to fill the air like never before. Chewy to the point of being considered "spoon-worthy," this last section is a heavy yet fine finish to what has up until this moment been a complex smoke. Aromas of rum, and the tropical fruitiness and caramelized sugars that come with it are everywhere, and the smoke smells just as good as it tastes. 

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

A flake of rogue ash here and there, along with a slight wave at times was all the trouble I had with Unforsaken. It may have a slightly tight draw toward the start and can burn a bit hot at first due to some serious chiefing being required to get things going. But get past that initial light point and things cool quickly, with smoke levels increasing significantly alongside the ash. All together, it is a brilliant burner that smokes slow and cool once it settles into a routine. 

Final Thoughts

Esteban Carreras has once again crafted a premium cigar blend that is both complex and confoundingly complicated to decipher at times. There definitely is something for everyone inside, you just have to be ready to receive everything else (sometimes all at once) as well.  

This results in a very flavorful and deep cigar flavor profile that seems a touch too complicated at times. While extremely clean both in its flavor delivery and burn, the blend feels a bit unsure as to which direction to take at times and is trying to do too much at once. Rum cask notes don't arrive until rather late as well, with the augmented innards of each barrel leaving you with more oak tannin tastes than boozy, 18-year-old sugary goodness for much of the time. 

However, I found myself salivating in awe over what I was smoking and smelling much of the time, and feel that this is one of the better barrel-aged cigars we stock at Klaro. I would just strongly suggest burning through a fiver of these sticks prior to committing to a full box. Just to be sure that this blend truly suits you and your palate, because it's definitely a big, bold smoking session with a whole lot going on inside.  

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Overall Balance & Repeatability

Stogie Specs