Trinidad Fundadore - ARS JUN 19 (PDLRW)

[Markke]

This is my first Fundadore from the 2019 Xmas sampler. It’s been resting at 62%RH and was dry boxed for 3 days at 40%RH. I gave it a straight cut and the draw was a little tight but perfectly acceptable. The cold draw was light tobacco with really no barnyard to it. I paired it with what is probably my favorite IPA. Or for the purpose of this review my most loved IPA... Bells Hopslam. 
Since my wife is in the Twin Cities visiting our kids and grandkids I’m going to have to go with the beer as my loved one. I know.... I could do worse. I will add that I’m fortunate to have a heated shop to smoke in in the winter months. It was -35F when I woke up so again..... I could do worse.

I’m really not the best at picking out subtle flavors while smoking. I can taste different flavors but can’t really identify them. I’ve seen posts from others stating the same so I guess I’m not alone.

Mild creamy tobacco right from the start. I don’t typically smoke cigars this size. My rotation is mostly minutos, petite coronas, robustos and short robustos so this size was a welcome change. As it progressed a little pepper came in but was not overpowering at all. Well into the second third mild woody tobacco took over. Very pleasant so far but not a lot of change. The same woody (cedar?) tobacco continued through the final third growing in intensity until I put it down. I will add that it had a nearly perfect burn right to the end.  I won’t  jump to buy a box just yet but a quarter box might be in my future. I’ll give it a 8/10.

 

 

[mprach024]

This will go against what many others will say, but for Trini Fundadores and Coloniales, I don’t like to dry box.  62RH is perfect, I feel it removes that woody/papery character that crops up on them when they are dry, and you’ll pick up more creamy notes with dark black coffee and black tea at 62-64RH. Just some food for thought if you try them again, to try one right from your humidor.

Hopslam is good stuff, Bells is about 30 min from my house.

[Tstew75]

I agree with @mprach024 you probably smoked this too dry, hence the dry woody/cedar notes.

While I never find Trinis to be crazy kaleidoscopic with flavor, you should expect much more complexity than you got, IMO. Smoke another at low 60s & see whatcha get.

Nice honest review!

[Markke]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I’ll definitely keep this in mind for the next time.

If I lived that close to Bells I’d be a regular in their taproom. I’d be making regular trips to Founders and Dark Horse as well.

[mprach024]

11 minutes ago, Markke said:

Thanks for the feedback guys. I’ll definitely keep this in mind for the next time.

If I lived that close to Bells I’d be a regular in their taproom. I’d be making regular trips to Founders and Dark Horse as well.

Founders is 10 min away ?

[Chas.Alpha]

The ARS ‘19 was the cigar that brought me to FOH, again from the ‘19 Christmas sampler. My humble opinion, the best cigar that I have. Espresso, toffee, slight spice and nut. I bought the box blind in Havana, after a few Mojitos...

Best thing I did in 2019. ?

[Tstew75]

59 minutes ago, Chas.Alpha said:

The ARS ‘19 was the cigar that brought me to FOH, again from the ‘19 Christmas sampler. My humble opinion, the best cigar that I have. Espresso, toffee, slight spice and nut. I bought the box blind in Havana, after a few Mojitos...

Best thing I did in 2019. ?

ARS was absolute fire in 19

[StogieSteve23]

Thank god for your heated shop! Lovely looking set of toys you got there in the background.  Bells is an excellent brewery and the Hopslam never disappoints. 

[Thirdcoastwatch]

6 hours ago, mprach024 said:

This will go against what many others will say, but for Trini Fundadores and Coloniales, I don’t like to dry box.  62RH is perfect, I feel it removes that woody/papery character that crops up on them when they are dry, and you’ll pick up more creamy notes with dark black coffee and black tea at 62-64RH. Just some food for thought if you try them again, to try one right from your humidor.

Hopslam is good stuff, Bells is about 30 min from my house.

I’m not too far from La Casa de Larry myself.    Bell’s Double Two Hearted is also worth a try if you can find it.    Hopslam is a classic.    Just don’t try to drink a few and be productive!   

[mprach024]

1 hour ago, Thirdcoastwatch said:

I’m not too far from La Casa de Larry myself.    Bell’s Double Two Hearted is also worth a try if you can find it.    Hopslam is a classic.    Just don’t try to drink a few and be productive!   

Bells doesn’t make a bad beer really.  It was their Porter that got me drinking them.  Way way way back, when I was cool and craft breweries weren’t.  Clearly there’s been a momentum shift.  

[Markke]

20 hours ago, StogieSteve23 said:

Thank god for your heated shop! Lovely looking set of toys you got there in the background

For sure. During the winter months I probably spend more time in my shop than the house.
I’m  looking forward to spring when I can get the pontoon back in the water and smoke my cigars while cruising the lake ?

 

18 hours ago, mprach024 said:

Bells doesn’t make a bad beer really.  It was their Porter that got me drinking them.  Way way way back, when I was cool and craft breweries weren’t.  Clearly there’s been a momentum shift.

I was one of the cool kids (back in the day) too. I’ve traveled to your stomping grounds more than once to hit all the great breweries in the area. In my experience you can’t beat Founders barrel aged beers.