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Cigar: Guantanamera Company
Size: 123 ins x 40 ? Petit Corona
Origin: Cuba
Smoke time: 35 mins
Cigar box age: Unknown exactly. Source: a x5 pack gifted by El Catador (Yes, I thought he was my friend too!
) who assures me they are at least 5 years old.
Note: Machine made, short filler, cello wrapped.
Appearance: Terrible. Rough, knobbly natural wrapper with a very poorly applied cap. I did though quite like the Standard ?A? band.
Construction: On removing the cap the end was left flakey and I was constantly removing bits of tobacco from the cigar and my lips. Surprisingly good pre-draw and perfectly acceptable smoking draw. The burn was what can only be generously described as misbehaved and in constant need of correction. Three tap offs, no re-lights, three corrections.
Flavour: The pre-light aroma was musky tobacco. The start was undeniably Cuban, with sweet, lemon citrus over light woody tobacco. The sweet lemonlike flavour remained constant throughout the smoke picking up more woody notes as it progressed. In the final third the sweetness reseeded a little and in with the wood flavours there were some minor hints of coffee and a subtle ?chalky? meaty taste, which while not unpleasant, I did find a little odd!
Note: The object of this review exercise was to determine if 5 years of ageing had removed the harshness generally associated with the vitola. I would say that it had, as the Company to be mild, and softly mellow throughout the smoke.
Overall: To be honest I wasn?t expecting much! But the cigar, whilst construction could be much improved, performed a lot better than I expected and is by no means the worse Cuban I?ve ever smoked. Because the nicotine strength is low, the Guan Company might make a very useful cheap ?go too? for beginners, but only I suspect if they can find them with sufficient age.
Size: 123 ins x 40 ? Petit Corona
Origin: Cuba
Smoke time: 35 mins
Cigar box age: Unknown exactly. Source: a x5 pack gifted by El Catador (Yes, I thought he was my friend too!
) who assures me they are at least 5 years old. Note: Machine made, short filler, cello wrapped.
Appearance: Terrible. Rough, knobbly natural wrapper with a very poorly applied cap. I did though quite like the Standard ?A? band.
Construction: On removing the cap the end was left flakey and I was constantly removing bits of tobacco from the cigar and my lips. Surprisingly good pre-draw and perfectly acceptable smoking draw. The burn was what can only be generously described as misbehaved and in constant need of correction. Three tap offs, no re-lights, three corrections.
Flavour: The pre-light aroma was musky tobacco. The start was undeniably Cuban, with sweet, lemon citrus over light woody tobacco. The sweet lemonlike flavour remained constant throughout the smoke picking up more woody notes as it progressed. In the final third the sweetness reseeded a little and in with the wood flavours there were some minor hints of coffee and a subtle ?chalky? meaty taste, which while not unpleasant, I did find a little odd!
Note: The object of this review exercise was to determine if 5 years of ageing had removed the harshness generally associated with the vitola. I would say that it had, as the Company to be mild, and softly mellow throughout the smoke.
Overall: To be honest I wasn?t expecting much! But the cigar, whilst construction could be much improved, performed a lot better than I expected and is by no means the worse Cuban I?ve ever smoked. Because the nicotine strength is low, the Guan Company might make a very useful cheap ?go too? for beginners, but only I suspect if they can find them with sufficient age.
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