Alrighty then. I settled down into a nice, comfortable leather chair at the Downtown Grille, ordered a Baker's on the rocks, and sat back for smoking nirvana.
H Upmann Corona Major A/T
Pulled this cigar from the aluminum tube and enjoyed that initial smell of cedar and earth. Wonderful. The wrapper was a light brown, just beyond tan. The triple cap was expertly applied, neat and even. There were no major veins and the seams were well done. The pre-light nose was of earth with a bit of sweetness and herbaceous overtones. It seemed a shame to clip the beautiful cap, but I did and was greeted with an excellent pre-light draw. We were off to a good start.
This mareva lit easily and I immediately noted that the draw stayed open and easy. Smoke production from this small cigar was excellent. Each puff produced mouthfuls of thick, rich smoke. I was able to blow some very decent smoke rings with the thick, gray smoke. The ash was firm and white and stayed on the cigar an inch at a time. The burn was utterly even, requiring no touch-ups or corrections. The cigar stayed cool throughout, allowing me to smoke it to a nub. Top-notch construction. :thumbs:
Upon initial tasting, I immediately thought of a young wine that needed time to breath before drinking. This cigar hit me with some intense tannins upon initial lighting. It was not quite harsh, but it was by no means smooth. After about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch, the flavors smoothed out and some wood and creaminess crept in. I had burned out the initial tannins and was now able to enjoy the character of the cigar. As I approached the 1/2 mark, the flavor picked up some herbaceous notes and the wood intensified. The creaminess stayed, but it simply worked to balance out the other flavors. Near the end, the wood became toasted and charred, adding a new dimension to the flavors.
This was a very enjoyable cigar. It will be outstanding after some serious aging. The tannic tastes were indicative of a young cigar. Once this cigar looses those, the creamy wood and herbaceous flavors will ROCK.
Thanks for the cigar, Tom.
