HDM Epicure No.1 PUS JUL17 (SM2RW)

[JoeyBones777]

Upon cutting the draw is...perfect. writing as I am going here to switch it up a bit from how I typically do it. Predominantly woody medium bodied smoke with flavors of cedar, toasted tobacco, sweet spices. Off and on the aroma has almost a perfume quality. Numerous times as I draw there is a sizzling sound. I've heard this could be beetle eggs but there is no bitterness coming through. I don't know how true that is so by way of willfull ignorance I will assume it is concentrated pockets of oils.? Toward the end of the 2nd third I had to relight, not completely but only the center was burning. Just got hit with a blast of that sweet perfume aroma. Difficult to describe...maybe vanilla. It gives that balancing sweetness needed for the predominantly cedar profile. Some cream coming through, a little late but better than never. The cedar and sweet spices are a bit drying on the palette, not physically as my mouth is producing plenty of saliva with the smoke but that "I just ate some cinnamon" sensation of dryness on my palette. There is really no sweetness on the draw but in the aroma and retrohale there is plenty of sweetness. A little into the final 3rd and a full relight is required. That sweetness is almost a vanilla paste, sugar cane and vanilla combo, in the retrohale. There is a little bitterness creeping in similar to when you lick wooden furniture...don't pretend like you never did that as a child.? Now it is gone on the draw but the body is picked up to medium full and the bitterness remains on the finish slightly. I didn't have breakfast so I'm starting to feel the strength of the cigar a bit. Another relight in the final 3rd and the body dropped to light medium. Some bitterness still present, cedar, white pepper, cinnamon and sweetness on the retrohale but the sweetness has toned down.

Overall, it was a journey. Some great, some good and some meh. I would have like much more cream and sweetness on the draw. I wasn't a huge fan of the bitterness and I hope it goes away with more time down but it wasn't horrible. I give it an 88. It would be higher if the combustion was better. Also, Batman was present during some of the review so that was fun!