Mmmmm...creamy caramel. Great review.

Yeah, I like the barnyard and raisin myself......I was hoping that vein, actually more of a stem, wasn't going to be a problem, but......




Not to worry Yaro, it's all part of the review process.......Like Forrest Gump said, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get" 🍺

Sounds like you made love to this cigar. Taste like dingleberries too?

While we're on the subject of making love to cigars...🙄

Probably doesn't have dingleberries.....you didn't send it, and nobody rubbed their sack on it 😰

Holy moly! Only in the mind of the Hankster would the taste of dingleberries enter into thoughts of lovemaking. I think someone learned him a tad funny when it comes to this subject.

The cigar certainly was enjoyed. It was a sensual, delightful, experience without the band to give preconceptions or expectations.

I hope I get to repeat it.

#84: I was thinking the same thing. To each his own, I guess.

Sorry for the delay David but just got yours out today.

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Sounds good Shaun. It's been too cold here to enjoy one so no worries. Look forward to giving this a go.

Wow looking forward to that hopefully this noreaster doesn't effect shipping. Wasn't think non perishable. Would have sent down my favorite NY bagel. Despite what Shaun might think NY has better bagels and porkroll isn't a food.

Let's wrap this up!!

Mystery Cigar #1

Prelight: 6.5x54ish churchill/toro; dark brown wrapper; slightly toothy with invisible seams and a few prominent veins. Tight heavy pack ( heavy like I did a few curls with it before smoking just to get the biceps going)

First Third: A slight salt and pepper kick after the light-up. It has a tight draw and very good smoke output. It is very smooth and there’s a creaminess to it that’s almost sweet. An unidentified spice on the retrohale. Predominant flavors are pepper, spices, and just a nice overall smoothness. Some of the more subtle flavors that I’m getting are maduro-like sweetness, and clean linen (only tasted this once before in an AVO Syncro Nicaragua). Beautiful grey-white ash on this thing; like a stack of quarters. The ash held on for almost the entire third and showed no signs of weakness before falling in my lap. Burn line is razor sharp.

Second Third: Flavors still very much the same. I would say medium-full on the strength at this point. Mmmm...sweet spices, pepper, and dark chocolate. The aroma coming off of this thing is excellent too. It’s hard for me to really nail down these flavors...this is by far the toughest cigar of the bunch to review. There is a subtle nuts and wood thing going on in the background now. Retrohale burns with a citrus sting. Ash and burn line are still excellent. Getting bitter now...maybe I should slow down?

Final Third: Very bitter dark chocolate flavors at this point…ammonia too? A spice mix and we are at full strength. Flavors are definitely bitter and even more muddled at this point. This thing is going downhill fast. I’m gonna end it before I ruin my overall impression. Total smoke time was around an hour and thirty minutes. (Glad I ended this when I did because I turned green about ten minutes later...this thing kicked my arse)

Draw - 1.5
Smoke Output - 2
Burn - 2
Construction - 2
Taste - 1.5
Total - 9 out of 10

I thought this cigar performed very well. It would not shock me if this turned out to be the high-end smoke. I will say this was the mid-range simply because Mystery Cigar #3 just agreed with my palate a little more than this one. Blind guess would be an Oliva Serie V and Tatuaje Black baby on steroids.

Thanks again to Matt for these great cigars to review. Can’t wait to find out what they were...hoping I hit close to the mark on at least one of these.

Great review! Again, I find your assessment to be consistent with mine. (We should probably set up a trade at some point. I think our cigar preferences may be similar.) I can do the big reveal tonight, when I get home. I think you’ll find it interesting...

Yeah, definitely up for a swap in the future. Maybe a few of them unbanded...ha! Looking forward to the reveal...😎

Lost the darn tracking number.........maybe incoming is better than outgoing.

I use USPS informed delivery. Don't know who else uses it but it's free and it shows u all the mail u get. They scan all the letters and have every package listed that is currently being shipped. I see one package due to arrive tomorrow originated from tampa.

Yaro,
Hope you feel better.


Just Relax....I smoked Mystery Cigar #2 tonight. I will try to post up the review tonight.

David

And here is NWStogie’s reveal:

#1: Swag S - MSRP $9.25, retail $3.00-$8.00 (low)

#2: Warped La Colmena Black Honey - MSRP $16.50, retail $15.00 (high)

#3: CLE Aladino - MSRP $10.00, retail $9.00 (medium)

The Swag is a hidden gem I discovered through a cigar of the month type “care package” I get from a couple of “guys.” They can be found through one source for $60 for a box of 20. I’ve stocked up on them. Great yard gar. PM me if’n you’d like the deets for yourself.

I was blown away by the Aladino. Great find through the same monthly package from the “guys.” I’ve only stocked up on a few singles. I’d love to get a box when I find them on sale.

I wanted to like the Black Honey more. It was difficult to find and spendy. It was OK, but I also had construction issues.

WOW! 0-3 and I inverted the low and high? Has to be the first time that has happened...hahaha! Well, can't do any worse than that gents...I guess the moral of the story is smoke what you like.

I've had one other CLE previously and really liked it too. Gonna look into more of their stuff for sure, and will hit you on the PM about #1. I'm sorry that I didn't like #2 more. Now I’m curious to see how some other people scored these cigars…

Big thanks to Chazbo for hosting this. I had a blast doing it. Looking forward to reading the remaining reviews...

Nice job on the reviews guys. This process forces you to focus on the cigar...

Phil: I can include a Black Honey in a potential trade, if you’d like to revisit with the band on. (I don’t want to refer to it as #2, or someone might think I’m talking dingleberries.)