https://www.cigarsinternational.com/cigarfu/puro-ambar-legacy-by-exactus-cigars/1487247/ these are also decent. Similar to the D.E. Kentucky Fire Cured & Spectre by AJ Fernandez. 14 Box of 6.5" x 54 Toro for $25 is a good price!
This dude likes 'em LOL!
PURO AMBAR BY EXACTUS CIGARS
302JH December 5, 2014 Cigar Reviews, $5 to $8 Range, 2014 0 Comments
Puro Ambar cigar review
Exactus Cigars is a boutique brand that is made in the Dominican Republic. The factory in which the brand is produced has a long history in the Dominican cigar making industry, dating back to 1955. Fast forward 40 years later – in 1995 the company went through a transformation where they refined techniques and made radical changes in their products. Today that factory is known as Tabacalera El Artista S.A. The name was chosen because they consider each of their members to be artists in the production of premium cigars.
Puro Ambar Breakdown
Wrapper: T13 (Exclusive to Tabacalera El Artista, grown in Rancho Elba Maria).
Binder: Wine Fermented Criollo 98
Filler: Criollo 98 & 1900 (Exclusive to Tabacalera El Artista, grown in Rancho Elba Maria)
Vitola: 5.5″ x 60 Short Coloso
Price: $6.50
Appearance
For appearance sake, the presentation on this cigar is eye catching. A large white band with bronze foil touches and the name Puro Ambar (also in bronze) is offset to the bottom right of the band. In a market where cigar packaging includes laser cut bands and bold, bright colors to grab your attention in a walk-in humidor, the Puro Ambar presentation is simple; yet it stands out and draws you in to at least come and take a closer look. The wrapper, which is a medium golden brown, is very close in color to the bronze foil on the band and that offers a nice contrast in color schemes. Closer examination shows some marbling spots throughout the wrapper. You will notice some prominent veins on the wrapper and this lends to a semi-rustic feel, but the seams and lines are clean otherwise.
First third
A smoky wood aroma radiates off the wrapper and foot of the cigar. Cold draw introduces a really interesting sweet, syrupy note and I immediately notice a slight sweetness on my lips and the tip of my tongue. Once lit, there is a very unique smoked hickory wood flavor. Then enters a deep, rich, sweet note that has me conflicted – I can’t decide whether it is molasses, maple or teriyaki… As these flavors develop on my palate, they provoke images of wood smoking chips used for barbecuing a brisket or other tasty meats. Though this profile is unique, it reminds me a lot of the J. D. Howard reserve. In the middle of this third, you will experience floral and spice undertones that join the overall flavor profile. The complexity and flavors in this third present themselves in layers. What you may taste when you inhale is not necessarily what you taste as you exhale. The cigar itself puts off constant smoke and the strength level is right around ¾ (medium-plus).
Retro: Sweet and Spicy.
Second Third
The smoky wood note develops and transitions into a deeper, richer, charred oak flavor as the sweet notes fall off a cliff and all but disappear. The presence of warm, cracked walnut shells slowly enters the flavor profile, while floral notes remain in the backdrop. There is also a subtle spice component, but every time I pick it up it’s usually handcuffed to the floral notes. One thing I found really odd was how drastically the flavor intensity dropped. At this point I intentionally drop the semi-toothy ash midway way through. Some how doing this elevated the flavors and charred oak becomes more and more vocal. The strength of the cigar has scaled back to a true medium body and Dominican tobacco characteristics really take shape.
Retro: Wood and Floral.
Exactus Cigars Puro Ambar Short Coloso cigar review
Last Third
Sweet notes return with a bit of restraint. The flavor profile remains intact and stays the same as the previous third. As I get closer to the end, disappointment starts to set in as the flavors become murky and nothing stands out other than wood and natural tobacco flavors.
Retro: Spice
Puro Ambar cigar review
Would I smoke this cigar again?
I have smoked the 4.75″ x 54 Short Robusto as well as the 5.5″ x 60 Short Coloso (for this review). I got the most enjoyment out of the Colosso vitola. I feel it delivers a greater range of flavors where as the robusto is dominated by oaky notes. At the current price points ($5 – $7) for these cigars, I believe them to be a really good value. So I can say with confidence, I would pick a stick or two in the future and see how it pairs with different bourbons. I’m also very interested to see what develops with a little rest in my humidor. All in all, this cigar was a solid experience. I have smoked the Exactus Maduro and Classico and thought they where also excellent values and good cigars. I’m interested to see where Exactus Cigars grows from here.
Puro Ambar cigar review and rating
Short Link:
https://cigardojo.com/?p=16163 PURO AMBAR BY EXACTUS CIGARS
This cigar started off great with some very interesting and engaging flavors. The draw was perfect. I did experience some minor burn issues and then it started to canoe slightly around some hard veins but it always corrected itself. The first half of this cigar was a pure win, while the last half left me desiring a bit more. I will say that this cigar makes for a really good fall season cigar. The flavors in the first two thirds, specifically the charred oak and sweet maple/molasses notes, painted a picture in my mind of sitting around a fire pit, smoking this cigar while sipping on something with a bite and warmth… let's say maybe a Knob Creek Single Barrel or even something sherry cask conditioned. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t pair a beer with this cigar, but that’s just me. Hell, this might be the perfect compliment to one of Maxxrocket’s (Cigar Dojo Hall-of-Famer) barbecued briskets.
APPEARANCE79%
BURN/CONSTRUCTION85%
DRAW100%
FLAVOR88%
COMPLEXITY77%
PRICE/VALUE95%
PROS
Perfect draw
Great 1st half
Good value
CONS
Canoeing/burn issues
Tails off in 2nd half
87%
WALLET-FRIENDLY
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Cigar Review: Puro Ambar by Exactus
BY JON SIDDLE · FEBRUARY 6, 2015
puro_ambar
Cigar: Puro Ambar by Exactus
Size: 54 x 4.75
Wrapper: Dominican T13 (Exclusive of Tabacalera El Artista grown in Rancho Elba Maria)
Binder: Dominican Wine Fermented Criollo 98
Filler: Dominican Criollo 98 & 1900 (Exclusive of Tabacalera El Artista grown in Rancho Elba Maria)
Price: Around $7.00
Samples were received from Tabacalera El Artista
Coming off my last review and the less-than-desirable outcome of it (determined to likely be improper humidification), I was hoping the next cigar I reviewed would be less problematic. As luck would have it, I was contacted by Jonas Santana of Tabacalera El Artista a couple weeks ago to see if I would be interested in giving a review to one of their offerings. The day that the cigars arrived was great except for one problem: I started coming down with a sinus and chest cold that took full affect a couple days later, leaving the cigars to sit in my humidor to taunt me. As I write this now, the congestion is almost all gone but I couldn’t wait any longer and just had to dig into this cigar.
No construction issues were found with the cigar, although by my fingertips, the cigar did feel like it was more tightly packed than others I had in the humidor currently. Besides light tobacco and straw notes pre-light, I couldn’t detect any other pre-light notes, likely a function of the residual cold in me. My light and first draws gave me immediate hits of leather notes and a touch of spice right on the front of the palette that only stuck around for a few minutes before disappearing. About a quarter into the cigar, woody notes came across the palette and coupled well with the leather notes already present. In the last third of the cigar, the cigar finished off with an light addition of spice. I would characterize it closer to something you would cook with, similar to the aftertake akin to an all spice or nutmeg. All in all, the total smoke time of 1:25 (taking my time) was very pleasant.
I would characterize the strength of the Puro Ambar as medium to full with it even mellowing out just a little bit at the end. The draw had a nice balance to it in using a punch. No burn issues or relights were to be found and thankfully, the cigar had no wrapper issues or errant explosions of loose tobacco. For my first cigar in a week and a half, it was problem-free.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10
To recap the Puro Ambar by Exactus:
This was one I enjoyed. It had a nice balance of strength and flavors without being overpowering.
For someone who prefers milder cigars or has a low tolerance to nicotine, the Puro Ambar would likely be fine. I know for someone like my wife who enjoys medium bodied and weaker strength cigars, this is probably right at the top of her comfort zone but doable.
The price point to me makes this competitive with similarly priced cigars out today.
Looking at the link to the retailers on the Exactus website, they are not carried by any shops around me but I’ll be looking into acquiring a few for my humidor. If anyone has had any experience with their other lines, please let me know your thoughts on them. This is one brand and company (Exactus and Tabacalera El Artista) that I will be looking into doing more reviews of in the future.
Edited by user
8 years ago |
Reason: Not specified
