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I have recently been bombed by someone I met on an American cigar group after we started discussing the Cuban / NC pros and cons and he wanted to show me some of the better smokes available to him.
He bombed me 5 sticks that were in his favourites, and I must admit they're not the NCs I'm used to, as my initial opinion is that the benefits of NCs are price (these weren't the case, I googled) so I said I would honestly review them properly, and it might also give you guys an insight if you haven't tried them. It's a massive market so it's hard to sieve through the dog rockets.
Here are the pack I was sent:
- Opus X, Lost City Robusto
- My Father, Le Bijou (won cigar of the year)
- Diamond Crown, Robusto #3
- AVO Uvezian, Synchro Toro
- Diamond Crown, Julius Caesar Pyramid
The first one I wanted to open was the Diamond Crown Julius Caesar, I picked it at random.
Initial flavours were leather and smooth coffee, absolutely no harshness as I've found with other NCs.
The first third came into its own with milky coffee with earthy leather and an underlying sweetness of milky honey. Not necessarily sweet however, very complex if there's a hint of nuts it's the cashew style nut. Slightly oily and long finish (I did have the flavour wheel open so excuse and pretence, but that's what I was getting)
The second third came in with a kind of mineraly flavour but the same underlying creaminess. Not a million miles from a Partagas with some age on it. The draw tightened a bit. Some tar buildup, 2-3mm of an extra cut opened it up and it started smoking well again.
Coming to the mid point, no real transition in flavour but mineraly flavour has just about gone. It is worth noting I got peckish after a afternoon nap that I have just finished some cheese and crackers with some salami and farmers chutney while smoking this so it probably had an effect.
For the final third the firm stick was softening up and flavours of leather coming through with the same cocoa coffee milky flavour
I actually got a little bit of a nic hit so smashed though a creme egg to finish it off. All the while I was pairing it with Diplimatico Reserva Exclusiva.
The cigar had perfect construction as I would expect. Dark clean firm wrapper and a perfect draw once I cut a bit more off, I have a habit of cutting piramides a bit tight to start. I don't know what it is about NCs but they rarely have the spongeyness that Cubans have.
Overall, it was a very nice smoke, and there was nothing about it I didn't enjoy. I don't know where to get them but I did a quick US comparison and it works out to about ?14 a stick.
Smoke again: yes
Box worthy: not for me, but singles yes. My problem is there are too many other things I want first at this time. And with the REs and ELs that's unlikely to change.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
He bombed me 5 sticks that were in his favourites, and I must admit they're not the NCs I'm used to, as my initial opinion is that the benefits of NCs are price (these weren't the case, I googled) so I said I would honestly review them properly, and it might also give you guys an insight if you haven't tried them. It's a massive market so it's hard to sieve through the dog rockets.
Here are the pack I was sent:
- Opus X, Lost City Robusto
- My Father, Le Bijou (won cigar of the year)
- Diamond Crown, Robusto #3
- AVO Uvezian, Synchro Toro
- Diamond Crown, Julius Caesar Pyramid
The first one I wanted to open was the Diamond Crown Julius Caesar, I picked it at random.
Initial flavours were leather and smooth coffee, absolutely no harshness as I've found with other NCs.
The first third came into its own with milky coffee with earthy leather and an underlying sweetness of milky honey. Not necessarily sweet however, very complex if there's a hint of nuts it's the cashew style nut. Slightly oily and long finish (I did have the flavour wheel open so excuse and pretence, but that's what I was getting)
The second third came in with a kind of mineraly flavour but the same underlying creaminess. Not a million miles from a Partagas with some age on it. The draw tightened a bit. Some tar buildup, 2-3mm of an extra cut opened it up and it started smoking well again.
Coming to the mid point, no real transition in flavour but mineraly flavour has just about gone. It is worth noting I got peckish after a afternoon nap that I have just finished some cheese and crackers with some salami and farmers chutney while smoking this so it probably had an effect.
For the final third the firm stick was softening up and flavours of leather coming through with the same cocoa coffee milky flavour
I actually got a little bit of a nic hit so smashed though a creme egg to finish it off. All the while I was pairing it with Diplimatico Reserva Exclusiva.
The cigar had perfect construction as I would expect. Dark clean firm wrapper and a perfect draw once I cut a bit more off, I have a habit of cutting piramides a bit tight to start. I don't know what it is about NCs but they rarely have the spongeyness that Cubans have.
Overall, it was a very nice smoke, and there was nothing about it I didn't enjoy. I don't know where to get them but I did a quick US comparison and it works out to about ?14 a stick.
Smoke again: yes
Box worthy: not for me, but singles yes. My problem is there are too many other things I want first at this time. And with the REs and ELs that's unlikely to change.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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