Absolute apologies. I totally forgot about me last 2. I can only plead forgetfulness and maybe a little bit of busyness. Regardless, entirely on me. First, I'd like to thank FrozenPhoenix for three great smokes. Second - I've got my second review ready (and should have the third up later tonight):
Cigar #2 from Frozen Phoenix is a smaller ring gauge than I usually smoke - I'd guess a 46. I would call this a corona Garda at about 5.5 inches long, but that may be absolutely incorrect. Medium brown wrapper that I tend to associate with "habano" wrappers, with a scent of cinnamon, citrus (lemon) and a little pepper. Off the foot, the dominant scent is barnyard. Construction is tidy, there's a few visible seams but it's very well put together. Draw tests out as pleasantly tight. As usual, I get no flavor at all from the cold draw.
V-cut and light and I'm greeted with a charred taste - maybe from my lighting. Not unpleasant, but definitely bitter. I have to do an immediate touch up, which has me firmly believing in user error now. Still a bit scorched tasting but that makes sense. It shortly settles down into a milder, straight tobacco profile.
I went against my strategy of having only water with the blind tastings as I realized I had forgotten the last two and, albeit three months later, needed to get this done. So this one is paired with a Bordeaux. I'm sure this is clouding my taste buds.
The scent of the smoke is peppery and fragrant. But, an inch in, I'm still not getting a lot of flavor. There may be a slight Cuban murkiness, but I'm not sure if it's the cigar, the wine or my imagination. As the first third comes to a end, I'm getting some black pepper on the tip of my tongue.
The second third sees a building of pepper and a return of the charred flavor. Making a conscious decision to slow down, the char disappears to the background. There's some cedar building now. And the more I smell the smoke, the more convinced I am
that I've smoked this before.
The second third ends with growing pepper. Very reminiscent of Camacho or DPG Blue. The final third starts to see the floors diminish and a return to more of a mild profile. Some dark berry notes come more to the forefront, with the pepper augmenting it. At the end, the pepper became stronger as did the berry. Nice finish and absolutely in my wheelhouse. Not sure if this is high end or cheap smoke, but I want more.