The package I received from Franco593
LINK
Toaster's Blind Taste PIF Review
Many thanks to Franco593 for the wonderful selections, and the opportunity to smoke what I know is going to be a fantastic cigar. I'll apologize to all of you in advance, I'm not a very good review writer, and my palette isn't as sophisticated as others here may be... In fact, I've always been in the camp of simple cigar tasting. I've never been one of those "hint of citrus, with a finish of raw leather" kind of guys... I taste TOBACCO - sometimes good, sometimes bad...
It's been a long time since I did a blind taste, let's see if I can nail this. When I opened the package, I'm immediately pleased with the visual, I can clearly see its origin is from the little island south of miami - I forget what it's called... "Q" something or other...
Nice construction, triple cap, chocolate colored wrapper with those veins and spot's I've come to know well, it a classic robusto size about 5x50. A quick sniff reveals that smell that is so familiar, yummy... spicy, tobacco, a little bit of barn yard... THIS IS GONNA BE A GOOD SMOKE. I'm so tempted to rip open the envelope, like a kid opening christmas gift wrap...LOL, but honestly I'm so excited to be playing this game - I just can't wait to see what the reveal actually is. At this point, I feel really confident it's QBAN, based on size, appearance, smell, I'm guessing PSD#4 or HdM Epi#2, wrapper seem's too light in color to be a cohiba robusto - they are usually a tad darker IMO. And Bolivar usually has much more "barnyard smell". I paired tonight's smoke with a Diet Coke Zero, my other addiction.
Away we go, I clip the end with my trusty Xikar, a few pre-light draws reveals and very tight draw and a light dose of spice on my tongue. I roast the foot, get a thin layer of ash before taking a puff. My first draw reveals, oh yeah - It cuban... no doubt. That unforgettable smoke that you can actually inhale, without fear... YUMMY.
A few minutes in I'm seeing a familiar colored dark grey firm ash - with a slightly uneven burn. Draw is really tight for me... I'm getting decent amounts of smoke, spicy, woody... My kind of cigar.
As I approach the 2/3 (middle) of the cigar, I'm getting more spice, I'm starting to wonder if it is a Cohiba? The amount of spice is making me rule out the HdM - they usually give a much more woody earthy flavor smoke, and generally not as spicy as this little powerhouse is delivering. The burn has evened out, the draw is still a little tight.
Approaching the end of the cigar, the smoke is getting hot, the spice has all but burned my senses... I'm going to have to admit I'm confused. Its full bodied to me, and very enjoyable.
Let me stop here and again thank my host Franco593 - for what has turned in to a wonderful cigar, and a very entertaining night. My wife sit's next to me, preventing me from cheating and peeking inside the magic envelope to reveal this little guy's identity. Yeah, I'm one of the lucky one's who smokes in the house - and the wife
never complains... :love: She can usually tell the difference between Cuban and non-cuban just from the smell of the smoke (I kid you not) At the end of the cigar the spice has thrown me, seriously making me lean towards Cohiba............. but the wrapper didn't seem to be the right shade. Oh and by the way: I NUBBED THE HELL OUT OF THIS THING - IT WAS DELICIOUS.
MY GUESS: Partagas Serie D No 4 (
or Cohiba Robusto because of all the spice)
Here are the pictures
I have to tell you, this was one of the BEST PSD4's I've EVER smoked! Usually PSD4 are more creamy - this was never harsh, but TREMENDOUSLY SPICY. And I've been smoking for a LONG TIME - This cigar was excellent.
THANK YOU FRANK!
