RAG ABO SEP 18 (RARW)

[Bucky McSwensen]

This is my first.  Its young, I’m trying to keep my expectations are low but I am so excited for this.  Picked them up about a month ago so not the ideal rest time but this contest is too much peer pressure.

Dry draw is firm.  Makes sense for a double corona.  Flavor at cold is spicy tangy and nutty.  First draw is delicious. Lots of young cuban kick but nothing unpleasant.  All the good traits. Citrus, spice, and lots of cookie flavor. This mellows out to a very tannic (not bitter) earthy and spicy twang.  Definitely a young stick but very pleasant. I cannot wait to have this with some years on it but am fully enjoying the light and sour flavors.

The dreaded fear I have been blinding myself to arrives in the middle third.  It gets bitter. The retro remains light and delicious but the flavor in the mouth is no good.  I try purging midway and get some positive results. Burnt pie crust, slight charcoal flavor, no citrus earth or stone fruit that I typically get from ra.  Then back to all bitter tannic blech.

Last third is all bitter no good.  I chuck it because I have things to do and am not enjoying any part of this smoke anymore.

This was a bummer but could have been expected if I weren't so naive.  This is 7 months old, I didn't rest it enough after shipping and it could have used a dry boxing.  The first third was great but only justified the price of a petit robusto. Luckily theres a ton of potential from the tannic bitterness (not dull just not good) and I will gladly have these left allones for a year or two before I revisit it.  Glad I experimented but a 13.60 entry fee to test these will not be worth it for a while.

I value this stick at $4.00

Cuba value: 0.38

Cost value: 0.29

(Ratings are based on a ratio of value/cost. 1.00 means I value it the same as it cost.  Less means it wasn't worth the purchase. More means it was a deal.)

[TheMonk]

These do need a bit of time to really shine, IMO. Good review!

[SwissPEP]

Nice review, let's see another one in a few years ....

Thanks