PLPC LGR AGO 19 (WTR)

[Zaxeiler]

For this comparison, I smoked the PLPC - since I had my split of a 50 cab with a friend. Most of my other cigars are still singles from samples. This box is from August 2019. I've had them previously, so it was also a decent benchmark for what wetting the wrapper would do. We've had a ton of rain here though, so I actually smoked them both in the same day, afternoon and evening.

Dry Review

Barnyard aroma. Foot is more flowers and grass. Cold draw is very tight, but gives clover, a hint of mint, and honey.

First few puffs are very delicate - lightly baked and honeyed biscuits. Getting into the first third, some of the sweetness works back in, making it more graham cracker, retro of honey and tea spices.

 

In the middle third, flavors darkened a touch to more of an earthy dark chocolate, not quite coffee. Halfway through, a sweet cream joins - giving this a earth and cream or light coffee and cream profile. Towards the end of the middle third, some nice light white pepper is joining in, balancing things out. This third ends with an interesting twist on these flavors - cream and pepper.

 

The back third continues on with this profile, but sees the return of the natural sweetness from the first third. Halfway through the final third, this guy went full cream. Almost like the dessert to end the meal. 

Lightly toothy wrapper. Draw was too firm, but passable, didn’t ruin the experience. It did mean that smoke output was way too light, which ruined the milky mouthfeel I sometimes get from these. Even but wavy burn line. Now that I’ve smoked both, this feels more and more like the “poor man’s” Trinidad, and I may like it a touch more. 

3/5 - Poor draw reduced points, but flavorful and good transitions.

 

Wet Review

This was a ton of fun to do. You almost feel like a kid breaking the rules by dunking this guy...

 

I was surprised with the oils/leaf, it doesn’t soak up as much water as I thought it would. 

Aroma still barnyard, but more peanut. Same with the foot. Cold draw still clover and honey, but with the wet shoulder it brings a spice and tingle to my lips, and a noticeable earthy flavor and almost barnyard flavor (not fully enjoyable).

Lighting up is still easy, but a waterlogged ashy start. Pure earth early on. Settling into the first third, still earth as the primary flavor, but cocoa powder on the retro (that’s different than the dry smoke). Could be psychological, but I feel like I’m getting honey on the retro too now, about an inch in.

 

Moving into the middle third, there might be a light grassy sweetness added to the earth, retro is unchanged. Once settled into the middle third, there was a slight darkening of flavors to a chocolatey earth, retro was more like syrup than honey. Note, by this point the cigar is mostly dry to the touch, but has a light sheen of the additional moisture. Towards the end of the middle third, an ashy flavor is sneaking in with the honey. The draw also tightened up significantly, making it hard to smoke.

 

The final third brought more ash flavor and increasingly tight draw, didn’t end up nubbing it. 

Decent draw, slightly too tight. Moderate smoke output. Burn is surprisingly even, almost razor sharp once it got going.

Unclear where the mental bias might skew things, but felt like the retro made sweeter flavors more pronounced. Seemed to meld flavors together (transitions were less drastic, individual flavors didn’t stand out as much) but made the general smoke sweeter with a more complex and light retro. Mellowed things (again, is this psychological?). Muted and mellowed. 

3.5/5 - A different, not better or worse experience. However, whether it was the water or stick, it seemed to be ruined in the final third, very tough draw and ashy flavors.

 

Wrap Up

Hard to say what I preferred. I think I'm more of a traditionalist and knew what to expect from the standard stick. However, if this one trial holds true, the dip method would be great for a stick that you dislike and needs a little muting, toning down, or mingling/melding of the flavors. I found some of the lighter notes to be brighter, but in general found less distinct flavors. But, if this one trial also holds true, it seems like the extra moisture, possible the time to sink in, and likely additional moisture from my mouth tightened up the final third in a non-beneficial way. Worth a try again, but on a stick I don't like 'as is.'

Edited October 22, 2020 by Zaxeiler
Shortened WTRW to WTR

[djrey]

Thanks for the review! Take the W off the end of your tag or it won’t show up in the admin search to be counted!

[Bijan]

1 minute ago, djrey said:

Thanks for the review! Take the W off the end of your tag or it won’t show up in the admin search to be counted!

That's the way the admins had it in their post

Edit: Seems they changed it, thanks for the heads up!

[djrey]

Sure thing! Just want to be sure everyone’s hard work has a chance at a win! 

[Zaxeiler]

Thanks! I thought I had seen both in the post, so wasn’t sure which to go with. Thanks for the guidance. This community is so helpful, in so many ways. 

[djrey]

Happy to help brother. Nice review. 

[Bijan]

18 minutes ago, Zaxeiler said:

Thanks! I thought I had seen both in the post, so wasn’t sure which to go with. Thanks for the guidance. This community is so helpful, in so many ways. 

It used to say (WTRW*)

*WTRW Water Test Review Weekend

They changed the top one, last I checked they didn't fix the bottom asterisk