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Wow, the things I do for you people...
Do you know how bleeding cold it is outside at nine o'clock of an evening in February... Thankfully, in the face of such dangers, I'd decided to take in my first cigar for a number of months in period dress. I had decided to visit the hotel next door's smoking patio whilst resembling Scott of the Antarctic.
Anyhow, this evening I decided to get back on the horse in anticipation of visiting the capital on Thursday (didn't want to be out of practice now, did I). So grabbed the smallest stick I had, it happened to be an ERdM (NC) Cafe Au Lait - one of an ordnance package from the States that did great damage to by base last year.
Appearance /15
(Size: 4 1/2" x 35)
This little Honduran bad boy had a reasonably dark wrapper. The wrapper was smooth, with little by way of veins. However, it laked a nice sheen and was ever so slightly flakey. Indeed, when removing the band as I approached the end of the smoke, it snagged (quite innocuously I thought) on the end and a very small piece of wrapper just crumbled off... 12
Smoking Characteristics /25
Pre-light, the aromas were reminscent of a nice spring garden...
Given it was so cold, and so bleedin' windy, I was not expecting the cigar to behave itself all that well. I need not have worried, it was a true gent. It lit first time, evenly. The cigar burned magnificently throughout the length of the stick. The ash was equally as impressive: a strong, grey ash was the proof of smoking. Most impressive was the beautiful, concentric rings all the way down the length of the ash (see below). The draw was also nigh on perfect. The way this cigar smoked was almost faultless. 24
Flavour /25
On lighting, the Cafe au Lait was quite light (arguably slightly floral). As we moved towards the quarter-mark, the flavours started to develop and round towards more leathery notes. It continued to be smooth and mellow through the middle third - however, it did seem to lose its way, lacking a certain something during this period. As the cigar approached the final third it developed some slightly woody and even citrusy notes before swiftly hitting that hard to identify cigar quality... it's an almost Scotch like pepperiness. This approachable pepperiness then mingled with a creaminess as the cigar drew to a close - this final twist had qualities which were akin to a brandy sauce with an alcoholic edge. Overall, the flavours were mild, but they did develop through the cigar. 19
Overall Impression /35
Honduras... I'm not sure I had delved into the Honduran jungles until now, and its somewhere that I'm not averse to returning to. The ERdM Cafe Au Lait was a mild and light smoke. Whilst it provided a developing profile, it never really got out of second gear. There was nothing offensive about this cigar and some strong positives - I'm not sure I've come across such a perfectly constructed cigar before. It's a short, 25-30 minute smoke which is ideal when it's a little nippy (though slightly too long when it's positively Baltic outside...
). I was drinking Caffrey's with this, but it's a cigar which may appreciate being subserviant to a slightly stronger drink. Either way, if you ge the chance to try one, give it a go. 28
Grand total... 83/100
Do you know how bleeding cold it is outside at nine o'clock of an evening in February... Thankfully, in the face of such dangers, I'd decided to take in my first cigar for a number of months in period dress. I had decided to visit the hotel next door's smoking patio whilst resembling Scott of the Antarctic.
Anyhow, this evening I decided to get back on the horse in anticipation of visiting the capital on Thursday (didn't want to be out of practice now, did I). So grabbed the smallest stick I had, it happened to be an ERdM (NC) Cafe Au Lait - one of an ordnance package from the States that did great damage to by base last year.
Appearance /15
(Size: 4 1/2" x 35)
This little Honduran bad boy had a reasonably dark wrapper. The wrapper was smooth, with little by way of veins. However, it laked a nice sheen and was ever so slightly flakey. Indeed, when removing the band as I approached the end of the smoke, it snagged (quite innocuously I thought) on the end and a very small piece of wrapper just crumbled off... 12
Smoking Characteristics /25
Pre-light, the aromas were reminscent of a nice spring garden...
Given it was so cold, and so bleedin' windy, I was not expecting the cigar to behave itself all that well. I need not have worried, it was a true gent. It lit first time, evenly. The cigar burned magnificently throughout the length of the stick. The ash was equally as impressive: a strong, grey ash was the proof of smoking. Most impressive was the beautiful, concentric rings all the way down the length of the ash (see below). The draw was also nigh on perfect. The way this cigar smoked was almost faultless. 24
Flavour /25
On lighting, the Cafe au Lait was quite light (arguably slightly floral). As we moved towards the quarter-mark, the flavours started to develop and round towards more leathery notes. It continued to be smooth and mellow through the middle third - however, it did seem to lose its way, lacking a certain something during this period. As the cigar approached the final third it developed some slightly woody and even citrusy notes before swiftly hitting that hard to identify cigar quality... it's an almost Scotch like pepperiness. This approachable pepperiness then mingled with a creaminess as the cigar drew to a close - this final twist had qualities which were akin to a brandy sauce with an alcoholic edge. Overall, the flavours were mild, but they did develop through the cigar. 19
Overall Impression /35
Honduras... I'm not sure I had delved into the Honduran jungles until now, and its somewhere that I'm not averse to returning to. The ERdM Cafe Au Lait was a mild and light smoke. Whilst it provided a developing profile, it never really got out of second gear. There was nothing offensive about this cigar and some strong positives - I'm not sure I've come across such a perfectly constructed cigar before. It's a short, 25-30 minute smoke which is ideal when it's a little nippy (though slightly too long when it's positively Baltic outside...
). I was drinking Caffrey's with this, but it's a cigar which may appreciate being subserviant to a slightly stronger drink. Either way, if you ge the chance to try one, give it a go. 28Grand total... 83/100
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