Custom Rolled Maravillas (AARW)

[Corylax18]

For the Absolutely Absurd Review Weekend I chose to review an Absolutely Absurdly sized cigar. 

The Cigar is a Maravillas that I picked up in Havana in November of 2018. I picked up 10 of these along with another hundred or so of other various sizes from the same source. I've smoked a dozen or so of the other sizes, but this is the first I've smoked of this size. 

I've really enjoyed the Half 109s, PCs, and the single Salomones I smoked In Havana a couple years ago. The salomones was smoked over about 4 hours Cigar shopping, drinking Mojitos and eating lunch with @Nino and my Dad in Old Town Havana. It was a great day and I still remember the low grade nicotine buzz I had all day. 

This is a True Maravilla at 55rg by 230mm/9" in length. The Romeo and Julieta Churchill below is dwarfed by this monster. Construction feels good, solid, with just a little give, not noticeable knots or soft spots. Draw is slightly snug, but I would hope for/expect that from a cigar this size. 

In the FOH Ashtray for  another point of ReFOHrence:

I paired this Cigar with Flat Water throughout, A San Pellegrino Blood Orange Soda in the first third, a couple glasses of Lanson Black Label Champagne in the 2nd third and Lo Beer for the last third. 

Its a hot day in Denver, roughly 95f/35c right now. Its very dry (15% RH) but almost completely still, its bearable in the shade, so that's where I stayed. 

The first third started savory and dry. Creamy Leather, and Cuban tobacco for the first 1/2" or so. Similar notes on the retro, but with addition of some chili like capsicum and a herbaceous note. A little bit of a nutty character appears past the first 1 1/2". The draw is still firm, where it should be, regular "double pulls" generate plenty of thick, creamy smoke. The aroma is intoxicating at this point, better than the flavor on the palette, hard to describe, but absolutely intoxicating. The first Ash falls off in my lap just past 1 1/2". So I knock the remaining ashes off in roughly 1" intervals. 

 

The draw started opening up around the 2- 2 1/2" mark, but the flavors stayed consistent. Some Cinnamon/Nutmeg starts to join the party, then the cigar starts to get earthy, in a good way. Like a freshly tilled garden. 

Just over an Hour in and I switch to the Champagne, I'm also feeling a bit peckish so I grab some Salami, aged white cheddar and hand full of chocolate covered almonds. The flavors have completely changed now. It think its a combination of the cigar and the parings changing together. Its all Strong coffee with a splash of heavy cream, the dry/astringent note has completely disappeared. The chili like note remains on the retro, but the capsicum tingle has faded. The Blood Orange soda usually pairs well with cigars, but it falls flat compared to the Champagne and snacks. Burn and Draw have remained perfect throughout.

 

At this point I've smoked the cigar down to what is now a relatively "normal" large cigar for Cuba. Think Monte 80th, Talisman, Etc. I really enjoyed the Upmann Mag 56 LE in this size range and the middle of this cigar is reminding me of that. Strong black coffee in the main, with some leather, cream and baking spice coming and going. The retro is coffee and chili. No real sweetness to speak of. The Thermometer is reading 97f/36c now, still very little breeze. My chocolate covered almonds were a mess almost instantly.

 

The above photo was about 2 hours in. Coffee and Cream remained as the main flavors, that Herbaceous/Vegetal note returned as well. Still no sweetness, burn and draw remained on point. The wind started to pick up and some clouds appear over the mountains.  

 

The cigar started to tunnel with about 3" left, just over 3 hours in. The wind was picking up, more clouds were forming. I switched to a Mexican Style Lager from a local brewery. It was fine, but not as good a pairing as the champagne. I knocked off the ash, gave the hot end a "Cuban crush", a quick purge and it was back. The coffee was still there, some raisin joined, along with the vegetal flavor and baking spices from earlier. After a few more puffs the smoke started to get spicy, but the flavors stayed consistent. With about an 1 1/2" left the clouds open up and chase me inside. Heavy Rain and Hail follow, which sucks.

For a roughly 2 and half year old cigar, in hot weather, it performed very well. It kept my interest over 3 and a half hours, the construction was nearly flawless and there was clear development of different flavors as the cigar smoked. I would rate it a 91/92 right now. It will probably be a couple more years before I get the urge to smoke another and I think they'll get even better with a couple more years rest. 

[westg]

Nice review...and a mammoth stick

[Hollywood Ninja]

Wow! Very interesting stick there and great review. I think the biggest CC I’ve got (which is also a custom roll) is 6 x 60.


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[El Presidente]

Great review Cory 

I love the Champagne and cigar combo. Champagne + Cigar + Chocolate just takes it to a whole new level 

[CaptainQuintero]

Great stuff, and what a weapon of a cigar!

  What's the "Cuban crush"? You mention after ashing? I've never come across the term before.

[Corylax18]

  On 6/14/2021 at 4:54 PM, CaptainQuintero said:

Great stuff, and what a weapon of a cigar!

  What's the "Cuban crush"? You mention after ashing? I've never come across the term before.

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@PigFish Coined the term as I know it. His initial post and video on the technique is linked below. It doesn't always work, but along with a perfecdraw, 5 different diameter punch cutters, and some other techniques I've saved plenty of cigars. 

I don't think this cigar had any inherent construction flaws, but after 6" of cigar and 3 hours of smoking in 95f heat, the wind picked up. It was a tough situation for the cigar. As Ray mentions in the video, I noticed the flavors change and the smoke got a bit hot and acrid before I saw the the tunnel after knocking off the ash. I didnt have to hold the crush as Ray describes with this cigar. Just the initial breaking up of the ash and smushing the leaves together did the trick. 

 

[Nino]

  On 6/14/2021 at 5:15 PM, Corylax18 said:

I don't think this cigar had any inherent construction flaws, but after 6" of cigar and 3 hours of smoking in 95f heat, the wind picked up. It was a tough situation for the cigar.

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I have smoked my share of those Maravillas from the same source, last ones last year while doing "Cigar lounge duty" as well as the 109's - the Salomones have a different father. I can assure you there is no construction flaw. They were and are all magnificent. Wind might be a factor.

Happy there are more waiting for me 🙂

[Corylax18]

  On 6/14/2021 at 6:24 PM, Nino said:

I have smoked my share of those Maravillas from the same source, last ones last year while doing "Cigar lounge duty" as well as the 109's - the Salomones have a different father. I can assure you there is no construction flaw. They were and are all magnificent. Wind might be a factor.

Happy there are more waiting for me 🙂

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I agree, I think it was the wind. Burn and Draw where perfect for the first three hours. Its not easy to get the bunch right on a cigar this big. 

I rarely smoke cigars this long or thick, but I'm glad I reached for this one. It was a fun/tasty change of pace and I'm glad I have some more in the Humidor. 

[madandana]

Thanks Cory! 

[Bosco42]

Great review.  I'll have to try the champagne and cigar pairing one of these days