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Unlit Impressions

Sour and salty, like an umeboshi pickled Japanese plum, the oily, moderately veiny oscuro wrapper on my review smoke smells intriguing, to say the least. A second sniff returned some booze-laden oak barrel tannins and the stick sweetness inside, along with a mixture of meaty umami dried jerky and that recognizable maduro mocha and vanilla mixture. While the half dozen other Circle of Life toros I smoked were fairly consistent in their complexion and texture, my review smoke exhibited some deep mottling in places and had some jagged bumps from the binder in spots.

As a former homebrewer, the scent of freshly sparged spent grain is an instantly recognizable aromatic. If the foot of this blend were a beer, it would be a barrel-aged Baltic porter, complete with all of the dark chocolate malts, sweet caramel, and toasted oak tastes and aromatics one expects in said snifter of suds. Sweet and sultry smooth, the foot is worth revisiting for more than one sniff, as lighter notes of cedar and spiced Christmas bread abound.

Unlit, draws result in a much more meaty, potent sweet and sour flavor reminiscent of fermented barbecue sauce. Dark, spicy, mildly funky, and distinctly umami, this savory first taste is both intense and intriguing, for it is not nearly as mocha-like as one might have thought at first sniff or glance.

Now, as for banding, West Tampa nailed it there. The simple, timeless combination of black and gold looks outstanding atop the opaque, oily wrapper, and the little golden ribbon of a footband adds a great contrasting touch down bottom. Look closely and you may notice some glossy accent marks in the black sections of the band, and the skyline of Tampa itself embedded in the lower section of the brush stroke circle. 

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Initial Smoke

As predicted, open-fire grilled meat is one of the primary cigar flavor profiles that fills the air once the foot is lit. Light spices of coriander and cardamom, which likely hail from the Sumatran binder are also present and make the cigar taste light and inviting. Maduro flavors of coffee beans, bittersweet cocoa, and dark soil play the role of supporting actors and help balance out the peppery retrohale.

1st Half

A dozen minutes later, the cigar has settled into a barrel-aged routine of tannins, sweet booziness, and a bit of farmyard funk. The brightness of the spices has shifted into more of an herbal profile, which is almost like a coffee-infused barbecue dry rub in ways. Salted caramel mixed with bittersweet chocolate and a consistent serving of Nicaraguan soil makes for a full-flavored finish that lasts rather long and is easily repeatable. 

Salted caramel comes into the mix to coat everything in a fine layer of sweet and savory goodness, as those recognizable maduro tastes chug along inside every puff. Up front, tastes of port wine and dark, heavily oiled leather add some posh cigar flavor profiles to sit beside the increasingly potent vanilla note. Body, strength, and flavor are all full, and have been full since puff #3 and are absolutely ideal in my opinion when it comes to balance and brevity. 

2nd Half

Make it to the second half of the cigar, and discard the elephantine ash that has continued to grow, and you will likely find that the brightness of those cardamom pods and coriander have infiltrated the finish. Combined with the barrel-aged booziness that can still be tasted, each exhale makes for a magical mixture of dark and light, spiced and sweet, meaty, milky, and heavily malted. 

With darker soil flavors and stronger tannin tastes and texture than anywhere else, the transition into the final third is bold but balanced. Sumatran spices have responded to the call once more, and thanks to their spiced tea tastes and other exotic attributes make retrohales and the longer finish of the cigar spectacularly good. 

Parting Puffs

Fuller by the puff, closing this cigar requires experience, preparation, and a love for the dark art of habano oscuro fermentation. Dark roast coffee and meaty leather tastes up front, charred hardwood and vanilla toward the center, and a fat smack of nicotine on the backend all own their place in this last section of the stick, and for the most part, do a great job of complimenting and contrasting one another.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

I have yet to experience any significant burn or draw issues with this blend, and I doubt that is going to change anytime soon. The slightly larger 54 ring-gauge typically helps the ash hold for half the cigar, the burn rate is slow and steady and relights or touch-ups are never needed. Smoke texture is also spot-on, with a creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel being one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole experience.

Final Thoughts 

From the moment I first clasped eyes on Circle of Life at PCA 2024 I knew that it was destined to be a badass blend. Not only is the backstory and branding on point, but the cigar itself has all of the right power tools in its belt to get the job done and then some. 

Consistency in burn quality and smoke production is also all EP Carrillo grade, so no need to worry about encountering a bunch of duds if you drop some greenbacks on an entire box. In fact, the only inconsistency that I can find with this cigar is the level of sweetness from stick to stick. 

In fact, the difference in sweetness detected between my review cigar and the stick burned the night prior was pretty extreme, especially in the first two-thirds. This not only influences the other flavors found within the cigar, but it also can make the mouthfeel feel rounder and chewier, so not having that syrupy molasses-like sweetness is a definite downgrade. Sudden increases in the level of spiciness detected were also a bit bothersome, for it can be a bit too brash at times.

I also have noticed that while each cigar I smoked was well rolled, properly bunched, and never underfilled, half of the cigars had excessively mottled wrappers, with raised seams and sporadic lumps in places. So even with that snazzy-looking band in place, this cigar can be a bit of an "ugly duckling" depending on the stick selected.

But these complaints about inconsistencies and visual appeal are small enchiladas when compared to the broader picture. This is a very good maduro that is sure to make for a memorable after-dinner cigar smoke session, and it comes jam-packed with flavor and impeccable performance. Sumatran tobacco also continues to win me over, especially when it can add some lighter, more vibrant tea spice notes to the situation. Blended together, these flavors, aromatics, and the retrohales that they generate all make for one fantastic full-strength smoke worth purchasing and if humidor real estate permits, aging for a year or two.

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