Ok here is my first attempt at a cigar review! Thanks for inspiring me to do this with your kindness John!
7 Aug 2015 - Temp: 65-67 - RH: 96%
Time: 1:40 (had to stop early, would've easily lasted 2+)
Music: Hip Hop
Drink: Russel's Reserve Single Barrel
Cuban Crafter's Cupido Tuxedo
Torpedo, Celo On
Wrapper: Dark, oily, pockets of oil that smarter people call toothy (But its kind of dark out.)
Smells: Tobacco. and maybe coffee.
Cut: w/ Xikar scissors
Prelight Draw: Cigar, tobacco, light earthy flavor
And then I butchered the light for the first time in a while.... god damnit...
After letting the road flare simmer down a bit, my initial impression was good strong flavor that I couldn't quite identify. Poured a glass of whiskey. Russell's Reserve Single Barrel in a Glencairn. Probably not super smart to review cigars while drinking 110 pf whiskey neat but this bottle was begging to be opened.
First Third: Initially not spicy and not sweet. Smooth creamy retrohale. Whiskey has heavy caramel up front and then hits you with the spice. Med-long finish and solid burn. Cupido Tuxedo also has creamy sweet flavor now. Its a familiar flavor on the retrohale. Maybe reminds me of a similar flavor from Padron 1926, LADC Mi Amor, Flor de Las Antillas and some others. Can't quite place it. Not the same as those cigars definitely but a familiar flavor that made those come to mind. Positively identifying the taste of cedar.
Second Third: Still seems a bit strong. Plenty of smoke. Holding the sweet and cedar for sure. Maybe a bit of fruit or floral sweetness on the retrohale. But I can definitely pick out cedar!
Final Third: Sweet is still holding on strong. Almost getting something that reminds me of sweet bread dough and some belgian beer I had one time but can't think of the name on retrohale. Still getting cedar and loving it. At about 1:40 I was pretty much tobacco sick. I was smoking around 11p and hadn't eaten since 6p. Also had no water and mowed lawn so prolly dehydrated. Maybe that had something to do with it. Towards the end I was slowing down my puffs trying to power through. I let it go out once, relit, and then the second time I let it go out, I called it a damned good cigar and went inside to lay down and sleep this off. The construction and burn was perfect throughout even with me botching the light completely. If I wasn't feeling woozy and kept at it, it never would've gone out for sure. Lasted about 1:40 when I called it quits but easily would've gone another 20-30 or more minutes!
Overall great smoke. Not sure how long this guy was aged but I'll definitely jump on a box next time I see them at the sale price. Maybe robusto is the size for me haha!
Thanks John that was a great smoking experience! Oh yeah and the whiskey really mellowed out when I added a splash of bottled water. Recommend the drink as well!
Edit: I've got my eye on a mermaid next!
