Normally, I would never spend this kind of dough for a cigar. But, it was Brandon’s wedding, so four were purchased by three of the groomsmen (me and two fellow co-workers) to help celebrate the wedding with Brandon. Rather than do it the day of the wedding, when we might not have time to fully appreciate the His Majesty’s Reserve, we decided to break them out the night before. The four of us had dinner at the Federal Grill in Allentown, one of our favorite cigar bar-restaurants. To whet my palate prior to unleashing the HMR, I began the evening with a San Cristobal de la Habana Mercaderes and a Glenlivet 18-year.
This cigar is gorgeous. The picture above is just plain terrible - it was taken with my phone in very dim lighting. The wrapper is a very dark Connecticut shade leaf. It’s smooth, oily and virtually vein-free. The roll is solid, with no soft-spots throughout the 7.5” barrel. It feels heavy in the hand.
If you’ve ever had the Gurkha Royal Salute, Platinum or Gran Reserve, there’s no doubt you’ve noticed the strong ‘grapey’ aroma produced by the cognac infusion. There is also no doubt you’ve noticed the sweet flavors this infusion creates when taking each puff. Do not expect this with the His Majesty’s Reserve.
Once lit, I noticed a draw that was slightly tight, not allowing me to fully receive the flavor(s) that I was looking forward to. After a few minutes, the draw opened up. I anticipated a sweet-tipped cigar with copious hints of cognac, but it never came. Instead, it opened with a smooth, rich tobacco flavor with a gentle sweetness that coats your palate, in a velvety fashion. The flavor was unlike any other Dominican-filled cigar that I can recall: very rich, as if I were sipping the cigar, but refined and medium-bodied. There’s not a whole lot of complexity behind the HMR. Rather, a smooth, enjoyable flavor that envelops the palate, leaving behind a long-lasting flavor after each puff. I would say it’s predominantly oaky, like a deep red wine, with no dryness. This oakiness became more intense towards the finish.
Considering the price, I had a tough time putting this cigar down, and made it a point to take a long slow puff every chance I had. I burned it down until there was about 1.5 inches left - there were no harsh or bitter notes at any point during the smoke.
I was hoping to be absolutely wow’d by this cigar. Truth be told, it did not happen. But, I was far from disappointed. While smoking this cigar, I rarely thought about it. I just puffed away enjoying my evening. To me, that is what makes a fine cigar…one which you’re not constantly thinking about and looking at.
Would I buy this cigar again? I honestly don’t know. Dollar for dollar, I don't think it's worth $750...then again, is any cigar? But, I am very glad to have had the chance to try it, and am even happier to know that I have another sitting in my humidor. I will definitely keep it for another special occasion. Perhaps my wedding?
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