1970's RyJ Harrod's Knightsbridge Sel. no4

[Rye]

1970's Romeo Y Julieta Harrod's Knightsbridge selection no.4

This cigar was part of a third place consolation prize from an Instagram cigar photo/review contest held by the great @cigarsnspirits a couple of months back.

Pre-light is a dry newsprint aroma with hints that remind me of cinnamon bun at the foot, and the construction is a gorgeous box pressed cigar with seamless triple cap, and a wrapper of satin oily finish. A firm and perfect packing along the entire stick with a flat cap lead me to believe I am in for a great smoke.

Gently pierce the cap with an 11mm punch, and I have to pick the cap out of it's perfectly "Cuban dimpled" head.

Cold draw has the perfect resistance and show little to no flavours.

This cigar takes to flame like it's been waiting nearly 40 years to do so, and ignites easily, bursting into flavours that nearly knock me off my seat.

That first draw is something spectacular that leaves me scrambling to describe everything that has just transpired. A mouthful of floral elements mixed with citrus and wood smoke are present at the bow of the draw, and leave me with a myriad of sensation that has left me like a victim in a car crash trying to remember what just happened mere seconds before.

While I exhaust the smoke slowly from my mouth, aged tobacco leaves mark while a hops like bitterness follows until I retrohale a rose water floral wooded scent leaving with a long, nutty cedar finish.

Never have I had a first pull throw me this way, and it will be something I yearn for.

The cigar burns like it was a Hollywood mock-up of real life, including all the fake realities, making me think I am in an altered state. The burn line and ash carry just enough flaws to reassure me that I'm not dead, because if this dark grey ash stacked itself any neater, and this florally dominant beautiful smoke passed any smoother, I would doubt my existence.

One third of the cigars ash drops on my bare foot and snaps me back into my setting.

Once the ash has dropped, the next long, slow sip shows no signs of the aforementioned bitterness. Being greeted by dark berries and wood, while the floral and aged tobacco holds true and a delicate brown sugar spice comes through.

This cigar has such a layered long finish of wood, rose water, and marzipan tingling their way into the next retrohale of bread, cinnamon, and floral wood.

The richness is increasing and this cigar is astounding with the levels of flavour in a light medium profile.

As if it were on cue, the ash falls (missing my poor foot this time) exactly at the end of the second third.

Please don't feel I am being greedy, but this truly is an experience for me, so as I enter the final third, after smoking delicately for over an hour, I have decided to take the final for myself.

Phone off

Pen down

Lights dimmed

Music turned off

I pour myself a dram of Bowmore and gently slide the band off while I put my feet up and listen.

There is a muffled sound of warmer spring snow melting and a distant neighbors dog barking just to hear herself that just transmits over the rather loud wet eavestroughs.

Gentle sounds coming from the kitchen while my beautiful partner begins cooking tonights dinner.

Reflect life.

Forget life.

I could write the thoughts and memories going through my head, but for now, for tonight, they are my own. Mine, and mine alone.

My woman comes in to the shop for a visit, and the conversation is short, pleasant, and quiet, but just enough of a gentle push back into a wakeful state and out of my meditative one.

Moments like this, my friends, is why I light cigars.

[Blakes]

[srbbones]

That is a hell of a prize!

[REASON]

Wonderful review Rye!

[Optic101]

Like reading a novel.

Thanks Rye.

[paulF]

I love it when a brilliant Cigar gets an equally brilliant review. It's like the Cigar forces the reviewer to share the flavours, the aroma and the whole experience with fellow BOTLS.

Brilliant

[fookite]

Jeez, if that is a consolation prize, the winner is probably dead by now.

[finecigar]

Loved reading this review accompanied with top notch photos... sounds like a legendary smoke Congrats on that prize!

[Hohenthal]

Bravo, great review!

[Elvis]

Wow. That's what I call a review!

Well done.

--E

[Jeremy Festa]

Exceptional work mate! Well done and good for you!

From my mobile phone

[Skyfall]

Awesome!

[MnMWC]

Fantastic review!

[Rye]

Thanks for all the love guys!

[Maplepie]

Too good RyRy!

Gotta cherish those 'epic cigar moments' eh? glad we were able to get a contact high from it too

[Mr.T]

Oh wow! Amazing review. Thanks for taking us along for what was a very memorable experience

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bolivr]

Bravo Rye

[fabes]

Well done!

[Rye]

Thanks again guys! It was my pleasure to share with everyone!