Green cigars, or candela-wrapped cigars as they are commonly called in the biz, used to be all the rage. Just take a look at a classic movie (that is in color of course), and you will likely note a greenish tinge to many of the cigars being smoked. For me, it was the original Disney flick, Pete's Dragon (1977), where I first noted a green cigar. I was about five or so, and I distinctly remember the mayor of the town always having a candela clinched between his teeth, and that he had the habit of accidentally squashing his sticks in the film.

Press fast-forward on the VHS tape for a quick tick or two and adjust the tracking to negate the blurry lines associated with college, and I am just now getting around to reviewing my first green cigar. Chlorophyll-filled due to a general lack of fermentation, these ultra "fresh" wrappers were once lauded for their grassy, herbal, milder characteristics, clean cigar flavor profiles, and distinct color.

But as America's acute interest in Connecticut Shade wrappers intensified throughout the course of the Cigar Boom of the 1980s and 1990s, the classic candela became labeled as dated and undesirable. In fact, today it remains one of the least popular styles of cigar on the market, and only sees a spike in sales just prior to St. Patrick's Day.

Yet for some reason, many cigar manufacturers continue to craft candela blends, with Jake Wyatt Cigar Co.'s Lucid Interval being one of them. As the only full-blown candela cigar in the Klaro collection (we do sell a couple of barber poles that contain candela leaf), this stick is very special to us. And as you are about to discover, I both love and dislike this blend immensely for several very specific reasons. 

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Unlit Impressions 

As one of the premier cigar brands in the two-tone creation game, Jake Wyatt stands tall atop its instantly recognizable wrapper designs. In this case, it makes the belicoso vitola we sell look almost like a warhead of some sort, complete with thrusters down near the foot. On the torpedo tip end, you will find that the dual rings serve as a fantastic point of reference for where to cut if you want less or more flow.

Regarding that green color, I find it to be more of a military, olive-drab color than something grassy or fluorescent in nature. It sort of smells like olives too, with a brackish, funky salinity, and organic meatiness making the wrapper borderline umami in nature. But that is only after you get past those Japanese matcha green tea smells, which to me reminds me of a composting leaf pile mixed with the scent of swamp water. Needless to say, matcha ain't my cup of tea. Literally.

The foot might smell a little danker and sweeter, with some cedar and vanilla taking my olfactory senses in a more favorable direction. But dammit if that green tea aroma doesn't creep in and eventually overpower it all. Let's move straight into cold draws.

Well, fuddleduds. That murky tea taste is even more intense here. I might as well spark this green machine up and cut straight to the action. Hopefully, things improve with some fiery combustion.  

Initial Smoke 

Grassy and very cedar-centric, the smoke that hits you at first is not all-out green tea, which in my case is a very good thing. Instead, you will likely find a hefty serving of sweet cream with a chewy vanilla bean backbone. Spice intensity is white pepper grade, and very manageable, making the spark to this cigar smooth and satisfactory.

1st Half   

As the cigar flavor profile within this blend builds, along comes some pleasant white and black tea tastes. Bitter but not sharp, rich but not intense, and very smooth from every angle, the first third is borderline brilliant when it comes to balance. This is made possible by all of the sweet cedar that shows itself, which does not back down until it's time to call it quits and kick that nub into the ashtray. 

Retrohales are peppery and increasingly potent as you go, with a freshly mowed grassy herbal aspect and some hay sticking it to your schnozz. There's a sweetness to the second third of this smoke that is very vegetative as well, which reminds me of butternut squash soup. Creamy, sweet, organic, cinnamon-spiced with a pinch of nutmeg, and topped with both black pepper and heavy cream, this taste is a delightful, if sadly fleeting surprise just prior to the halfway mark. 

Body, strength, and flavors are all medium to medium-minus, with the finish being a bit on the longer end, as it does linger even longer with the help of a hefty retrohale.

2nd Half 

With those retrohales becoming richer with every exhale, and more sweet cedar striking the tongue, the stage is set for a mighty fine transition. Toasted bread, topped with sweet, slightly salted butter, and the return of those vanilla bean notes makes for a milder cigar flavor wheel focus point. 

This mellow moment is soon augmented and enhanced by the smell of a stroll through the herb garden. Sunshine and the scent of autumn hay and a freshly mowed lawn floating in the air, the taste of roasted and salted pistachio nuts touches the tongue. A meaty and easily distinguishable flavor that I find to be cracking good when placed in conjunction with the rest of the blend.

Then, right at the end of it all, comes the aftertaste of toasted marshmallow, but without all of the sugary sweetness. Blended up, this makes for an outstanding opportunity for more retrohales and for taking a moment to appreciate the medium-grade balance that this blend maintains. 

Parting Puffs 

Unsweetened matcha tea serves you not one, but two cups of the green stuff at the end of this stick, and out comes that bite of bitterness. Things grow drier with each pull, but still toasted cedar toward the back, the peppery, earthy last section of this blend is one intended for those who favor a bit of organic funk. If it weren't for the strong green tea tastes I'd be all about this section, but alas, it is too much for my picky arse.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

A good burner, this candela's construction is crisp and encourages even combustion. Only one touch-up was needed on my review cigar, with the other sticks being completely problem-free. Ash build is impressive, just like what was witnessed in Appendix II by Jake Wyatt, and the draw and smoke formation were fantastic. Just go slow on those draws as the cigar combusts, because once that candela wrapper overheats it's going to smell and taste like a smoldering pile of grass clippings.

Final Thoughts  

I believe that we all owe a tip of the hat to Jake Wyatt for making a green cigar that doesn't taste like a big-ass steaming bowl of green tea throughout. While the cold draws were definitely unpleasant for my highly personalized palate, and the unlit aromas left me a touch repulsed, everything beyond that and a bit of a murky finish were flavorful, and in many ways, top-hole.

If you are a green tea drinker, or hell, even a white and/or black tea drinker, then this blend is going to be one worth consideration, and possibly even box-worthy. Sweet cedar and pistachio nuts, toasted bread, butternut squash soup, and sixteen styles of retrohaling pleasure push my approval rating for this blend higher than I could have expected, and you too will likely be pleasantly surprised by what you will find.

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Overall Balance & Repeatability

 

Stogie Specs

Cigar	Jake Wyatt "Lucid Interval"
Wrapper	Candela (undisclosed region)
Binder	Dominican Republic
Filler	Dominican Republic
Factory	Dominican Republic
Size	52 x 6" (Belicoso)
Strength	Medium
Pairing Drink	Arizona Green Tea
Rating	4.2/5