Trinidad Esmerelda BSM NOV 19 (PSRW)

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Interesting question that I pondered.  Does a “predicted star” means something that comes from behind to eke out a win?  Like “The Bad News Bears?”  Or something that seems to be on an upward trend in terms of quality and consistency (Monte 2).  Ultimately, I just went with Lebron James.  You expect he will be pretty good at the start of the season, and you know what?  He’s pretty good.  There are two such sticks that I feel exemplify this.  The Hoyo Rio Seco and the Trinidad Esmerelda.  The former doesn’t get talked about nearly enough.   But the Rio Seco I smoked this week had construction problems and thus didn’t seem a fair representation unfortunately so THE ESMERELDA IT IS....

In some ways it’s not fair to call this cigar a “surprise” predicted star.  It’s designed to be a star.  It’s big.  It’s expensive.  One would hood that it’s good.  But here’s the thing, it’s even better than you would expect.  I chose one with a foot crack because I find that cracks don’t get better with age so if you smoke a young cigar, might as well try that one.  

It’s VERY uncommon for me to smoke cigars that are less than two years old but two friends of mine called this cigar a 93 out of the gate.  I find that kind of enthusiasm enticing.  
 

Wrapper is a great color.  Cold draw is nothing to write home about (a plus for me as sometimes aromatic cold draws lead to bitterness)

First light is great.  It’s mild but rich.  Fabulous smoke production and very refined.  In fact, “refined” is probably the best way to describe the entire experience.  
 

Paired with a martini, this is a great experience. Happened to be about 70 in Los Angeles so that was nice too.  
 

Into dusk it cooled off a bit so turned on the fire pit.  (For an Angeleno, if the temperature dips below 50, we get frostbite). It was a beautiful burn with tea-like delicacy.  In fact it never really ramped up so in that sense, it was more like an aged cigar.  
 

I believe this cigar to be a stunner.  In fact it has more in common with the Rio Seco than it’s Reyes/Coloniales/Fundies brothers.  It’s subtle.  I didn’t regret smoking a cigar that was under 24 months.  In fact, if I were to give a critique of the cigar, I’m quietly worried about it’s staying power.  But who cares.  Buy in 21, smoke in 21.