Quai d’Orsay No. 50 - Unknown 18 (QRCRW)*

[Maskas]

Second of two singles I grabbed a while back.  From a 2018 box, unknown code, and has a noticeably dark wrapper.  First one was great and since QD popped up for this weekends review list I figured I would jump on the second.  I need to grab a box of these, I tend to enjoy the QD50 a lot.  Not to get ahead of ourselves here, let’s get started.   

Draw slightly tighter than I like so I poked at it a bit with my draw tool.  Didn’t have to go deep and now we are talking.  Cold draw I get basically cream maybe a bit of nuts.  Time to light it up.

 

 

As I said I enjoy these a lot.  One of the only cigars I’ve ever smoked that gives me a very distinct nutty taste.  Like eating a hand full of nuts or peanut butter.  This one starts off like usual, nice thick cream base to the smoke, maybe a touch of coffee and that nutty flavor mixed in with some grassy notes or hay.  The cream is heavy already just a few puffs in very rich tasting.  Delicious start.  The aroma off this stick is fantastic and I’m getting just as much enjoyment smelling the room as I am smoking the cigar.  
 

As I get a bit into it now it doesn’t seem to be burning well and want to stay lit.  Had this one in the humidor for a long time now (months) and the first one burned fine so I’m assuming it’s just the stick.  Might have something to do with the darker than normal wrapper that seems thick.  Anyway, flavors are great and strength is mild to me.  
 

Starting to pick up more coffee notes in this one now.  Flavors getting a bit darker maybe due to the wrapper?  Still has the nice consistent heavy cream backing all the flavors.  That’s what I love about this cigar - the flavors are bold and in your face even with the lack of strength.  Lots of times I have trouble picking out specific flavors even cream but this one lets you know.  Surprisingly I am getting more of the nutty flavor off the aroma rather than the taste now.  Still very enjoyable.  Burn seems ok for now, may have been a rough patch at the start   

 

Still that wonderful creamy taste coming through big time.  Smooth, full flavor.  Getting a kind of grassy flavor coming through with the cream and right after the pic the ash fell.  Now there’s some pepper coming through but just a little.  Rounds out the flavors now with a bit of spice after the sweet.  
 

Going into the final third, the spice has actually picked up a bit more.  Not a bad thing I like a spicy smoke but I don’t remember the other one getting this spicy.  Unfortunately the nice heavy cream base has now gone away leaving a spicy kind of grassy or woody flavor in its place.  Definitely a change of pace but could be due to it getting hot...having to puff a bit quickly she doesn’t want to burn well again.  
 

 

I will definitely finish this one or at least smoke it down until it’s too hot but it’s turning into kind of a disappointing end to what is usually a favorite cigar of mine.  Heat and spice towards the end now.  
 

Time to buy a box but my fingers might be crossed they aren’t as dark of wrapper as this one but I don’t know, maybe just not a good example here.  I enjoy these for the creamy nutty flavor I get and while it started that way it most definitely didn’t end that way.  7/10

[RDB]

Nice review, and cool background to the photos, thanks. Hobby (v serious hobby) or business?

[Maskas]

53 minutes ago, RDB said:

Nice review, and cool background to the photos, thanks. Hobby (v serious hobby) or business?

Thanks!  My shop is also my smoking area so to answer your question yes and yes lol.  I am a custom knife maker, not full time, so basically it’s a hobby but I do it very seriously on my time after my day job.  Basically a second job considering the amount of time and work that goes into each piece but I love it.