2014 Blind Tasting Competition: Reviews: Cigar No. 5


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Final cigars ladies and gents!

6 members sit above the pack on 2/4. The final cigar to shoot ahead, make up ground, or save yourself public shame and embarrassment laugh.png(purely tongue in cheek comment there)

For those vying for the top prize, remember - the winner (who can correctly identify the most cigars) will receive a $500 USD/AUD cigar credit. In the event of a tie, prize is will be split.

Some of you may have already smoked cigar no. 5, or will be doing so soon.. This thread will be used to share reviews on this cigar. Please post your review on this thread without giving away what cigar you think it is.

Just a reminder on the process for this competition:

1. The final cigar (banded 5) is to be smoked by smoked by July 30th.

2. Email me ([email protected]) with your nomination for this cigar before August 1st

I will have the final results posted on the forum as soon as I can after the close and submission of all results.

GOOD LUCK party.gif

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Just a quickie this time; this is all or nothing time and I think it's going my way, the aroma at cold has me 99% chosen this cigar already. A dense richness and just screams the marca. Lighting up and the first third is magnificent, slight rise in spice in the second third then youth begins to show and strengthens in nicotine considerably.

There isn't too much I can write flavour wise without all but naming the cigar. If I get this wrong then I'm a true billy goat with testicles for tastbuds! :D

Fabulous example albeit very young, stands out from the crowd for me.

90/100

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  • 3 weeks later...
The final cigar is a beautiful red Colorado Maduro Robustos, apparently from a dress box.


Wrapper has a nice sheen though some softness near the foot, chloryphyll spot 1/4 way in. Impressive triple cap.


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Quick bullet punch, draw is perfect, let's see how it burns.


Toasty tobacco, cedar and dried cherry are up front on the cold draw.


Upon lighting, similar flavors burst forth. Medium bodied with excellent smoke production, I am liking this one a lot right off the bat.


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Burn line falters after an inch or so, about where the softness was. quick touch up and all's well. Ash is a striated light grey.


Sweet and cedary finish lingers on the palate, mild pepper retro.


Fisrt ash drop 25 minutes in as I approach the middle third. Still with the sweet cherry, cedar and now a bit of leather creeping in.


Long finish, quite nice.


Final third picks up strength and leather, closes out with a solid finish, tingling on the lips and lasting notes of sweet cherry and cedar. Just over an hour smoking time, tasted so good I couldn't help but keep taking regular draws.


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Great example of this size/blend, best cigar of the tasting.


Now for the guess, will I go 5 for 5?

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Not many reviews either, eh Al...

Everyone given up?

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Not many reviews either, eh Al...

Everyone given up?

Not sure thinking.gif

It shouldn't be a disheartening experience. A learning curve, and a bit of a laugh is what we intended smile.png

I really appreciate the effort in your review Mike thumbsup.gif

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Blind 5

Firm draw, but not too tight. Excellent construction. Firm throughout with no hard or soft spots, except for the foot which feels a little soft. Foot is well packed.

Pleasant smell off foot. Like a sweet hay or grain.

1st

Smooth start. Earthy. Subtle fruit. Sweet woodiness. Some spice creeping in.

2nd

Spice more upfront. Earthy and leathery. Graham cracker. Cinnamon. Flowery nose.

3rd

Earthy leathery cinnamon stew. Ending with molasses.

Overall an interesting and engaging smoke. Don't remember having that much change throughout a cigar this size, but that could just be the extra attention given the circumstances.

Would like to try more of this example! Certainly the most engaging of the 5.

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I am currently 0 for 4 in this competition and have been very surprised by some of the reveals. So far the best was the D4 by a country mile (though to me it tasted more like a La Gloria Cubana), followed by the Monte Open, which tasted to me like a JL No. 2.


Appearance: This cigar has good construction but is very box pressed, with a smooth colorado/maduro wrapper that is very oily. The aroma is of light hay with a touch of fruit. There is a lovely divot under the cap which only increases my anticipation to try this smoke.


Cold Draw: The draw is perfect, with light stone fruit on the draw.


Initial Draws: Cedarwood, coffee and fruit.


1st Third: Cedar wood flavours are dominating with some fruit lingering in the background with a touch of bitter strong coffee. Pepper spice builds towards the end of this third.


2nd:

A creaminess has come in to create a creamy coffee profile that is very dry on the palate. The ash falls at half way and after this the fruity aspect begins to overtake the wood and dominate alongside the coffee.



3rd:

The coffee is still dominating with a bit of fruit which tastes like summer berries. The strength increases towards the end.


This was my second favourite of the 5 reviewed. I hope my luck changes with this one and sorry no pics available.


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Just a quickie this time; this is all or nothing time and I think it's going my way, the aroma at cold has me 99% chosen this cigar already. A dense richness and just screams the marca. Lighting up and the first third is magnificent, slight rise in spice in the second third then youth begins to show and strengthens in nicotine considerably.

There isn't too much I can write flavour wise without all but naming the cigar. If I get this wrong then I'm a true billy goat with testicles for tastbuds! biggrin.png

Fabulous example albeit very young, stands out from the crowd for me.

90/100

My review exactly. Great cigar, one predominant flavor dominates throughout. To name it would be to state my guess. This has been a wild ride!

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Cigar No. 5

She's a beauty...good construction, dark wrapper, florally aroma. Good draw with a bit of tug...just the way I like it.

One word for this one...complex. More words for this one...spicy, woody, earthy, fruity, sweet, creamy, coffee.

In my opinion, best of the five in the tasting.

Even if I miss this one and go 0 for 5, this has been a lot of fun!

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beautiful colorado wrapper

1st Third: stone fruit. Sweet woodiness

2nd Third: A floral bomb, with a slight white pepper on the retrohale

final Third: floral still but with hints of charcoal. Strong nicotine.

Definatley a solid smoke. Youthful but is very promising. Id give it a 91

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Smoked #5 Last night.

Box pressed with a satin Colorado wrapper, well packed foot, no hard or soft spots.

Punched the cap with an 11mm and revealed an inverted pigtail dimple.

Easy draw, strong barnyard aroma at cold, almost like silage, but the foot smelled of baking spices and hay. Curious

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Beauty flavours right off the start and the draw snugged up a bit giving perfect resistance after lighting.

Dried berries, roasted nuttiness, some baking spice, and a very tasty retrohale through the nose with some pepper bite, but still quite smooth.

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A nice burn line and even though it's slower on one side, I don't need to touch it up, as it catches up on it's own.

Getting some nutty flavours, and with a few draws, the dried berries become very much dried cherry, then back. I am really enjoying this one.

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Pairing with a great local lager really well, and the crisp palate cleanse really works with this one. Almost too well, as I drank 6 of the damn things during this single cigar.

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That, plus a very hot evening combined with no supper meant I got pretty smashed while smoking this one, but loved every minute of it.

Ultra smooth, great strength leaning to the upper medium range, and flavour for days!

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It took my katzenjammered ass quite awhile to get up today, but this great cigar stayed strong in my memories.

Good stuff guys, thanks for putting this on again.

My guess will be one of two cigars that I smoke a lot, but this was a prime example of whatever it is.

Now to see if I can break this perfect failure streak

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Cigar No. 5 has a reddish-brown wrapper and a slight box press. It's well packed and evenly rolled.

The first few puffs gives off a wonderful cinnamon/spice/pepper flavor that lingers on the palate for awhile. It's a great flavor accompanied by a perfect draw.

Through the first third the cinnamon is gone but there's a lot of spice and leather. The draw and burn continue to be excellent, I'm very much enjoying the smoke already.

The second third is earth, wood and leather. The dominant note being leather. The spice has receded a bit, only staying in the background.

In the final third the spice comes back full-swing, only accompanied by leather. Cigar No. 5 wasn't the most complex smoke I've ever had, but damn it, the flavors it did have were delicious and engaging. Pair that with the fact that the cigar had a beautiful draw and burn, and you have a winner. I'm not 100% sure of what this is, but I know I'd buy a box of this particular batch. I can't decide if I liked this cigar more or the HDM Epicure No. 2 which was given out for this contest...

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Smoked mine last weekend. I agree that judging by shape, this cigar is out of a dress box. Really beautiful wrapper, nice construction and good pack.

The first third for me was quite harsh. I was unpleasantly surprised by that. The harshness reminded me of a NC, but in the interest of keeping my streak going (0/4 so far!) I continued on.

Second and final third were much more pleasant, although I can't say that this example led me to believe that I've had it before. I've forgotten many memories of this cigar over the past week but I recall it being fairly consistent in flavor and a bit heavy on the leather and spice. Based on this example I wouldn't run out and buy a box.

Now it's off to CCW, close my eyes, and pick a winner!

Final score 85.

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Great, Alaister is out of office and wint be back till August 7th.

Have to wait for another week before the results are annouced...

This is going to be killer

Good luck to all

Back in the office mate and am now in the process of chasing up the last couple of guys wink.png

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Back in the office mate and am now in the process of chasing up the last couple of guys wink.png

Hey, if they're a week late they're out of luck. Reveal it mate!!!

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