AF Hemmingway Signature 2023 (FEBW2)

[ChangBang]

Before I discovered Cuban cigars, if you were to ask me what my favorite brand of cigars were...I would have said Arturo Fuentes!  Have had Davidoffs and Padrons as well, but they don't compare to AF's for my taste.  Hemmingways in particular have always been a nice treat that have always been at a reasonable price and mostly available whenever I've gone to a shop.

Got a box of these Signatures back in October 2023(box code 095-043 if anyone knows what it means) for less than $7 a piece, so these are now a value option I suppose.  Gave it a cut and the draw is a bit tight, but that's to be expected until I get past the nipple.  Cigar looks a little bit rough and rustic that I don't really remember being a common theme in this box?

1- Most of the first third has a nutty and toasted tobacco note.  Pretty pleasant and maybe half way through this third, I start getting a sweet tobacco flavor added.  Not the most complex, but I am enjoying these flavors.  Draw and burn are doing good as you'd expect.

2 - Give it an ash and the 2/3 starts off creamy.  Goes from creamy to floral to nutty.  All flavors I like and it's been the best NC I've had in a while so far! 

3 - Another ash and it ends on the floral notes coming back for the final third.  This floral note alternates with the nutty tobacco notes that most of the cigar had till the end.  Smoke time was about a hour.

Overall - 7/10 This was a great cigar and a good example of a top cigar that I would've had before learning more about Cubans.  No peppery notes and had a smooth retrohale the entire cigar.  Great basic easy to identify flavors that I enjoy and with good construction.  I have been trying to explore more into NCs since the shortage and the price hikes, but man still nothing is touching AF as my favorite NC brand.