TX Duo Review - Guardian of the Farm Apollo

[Çnote]

@Capn_Jackson I'm trying here. It's hard to focus on a cigar, so this is what we got. I believe it is within the sandbox.

Starts with an uncomfortable blast of spicy red pepper. This quickly mellows into a cashew cream with a touch of toffee. I'm generally entertained until I get to the bands, but I think this needs a couple years, there are some rough patches and sour notes. Getting past the bands, the intensity kicks up but the flavor profile stays savory and as is more washed denim than silk or velvet. Gets terribly bitter with a couple inches to go. Mellows enough to finish, but just not to my taste today.

It's fine with some potential. I wouldn't mind finding an old box somewhere, but given the world, I don't think the best tobaccos from this factory are going to end up in this marca. 

Call it an 86 and something to look for in the wild, but not a box I'd take blind at market.

[GVan]

I have three boxes of these in my collection from 5/2023. My notes from the late 2024 tasting are very similar to yours - has potential but put away and try again in a year - not ready to smoke. I guess based on your review I can let them rest until 5/2026 before trying another one!

[Capn_Jackson]

Here’s my side of the story…

I don’t always take note of the aroma of an unlit stick, but this one has a distinct barnyard and hay profile, very nice way to begin the smoke. Cold draw is difficult, because of the closed foot, but there’s some milk chocolate and dark cherry at play. Light-up puff starts with a little pepper, but quickly fades into that corojo sweetness I’ve come to love, with an extremely long finish of cream, salt, some honey, and dark fruits.

Going on, there is no pepper en masse, but there is a hint of chili oil on the tongue after some puffs. A nice touch on top of salted caramel and hazelnut crème. Roasted cashew now on the extremely long finish. Digging the beginning of this a lot.  This blend really reminds me of the Aladino Corojo Reserva line, but with lower strength, just under medium. Also, who doesn’t love a lonsdale??

Going on into the 2nd third, there’s a bit more coffee, tiny hints of soft leather, but mostly just more of how this cigar started. Loads more. Everything amplified, while strength doesn’t budge. Such a creamy mouthfeel. Loving it.

Around the midpoint, I seem to notice some bittersweet cocoa powder, intensified by the creaminess of this smoke. Traces of peanut butter. I want to eat this cigar. Something tells me that wouldn’t be a good idea. Something is a smart fella.

Last third of this has gone earthy and leather, but still with sweet undervibes, probably more raisin than any other fruit. Lots of leather tack to finish.

Definitely like this one, and want to keep checking on ‘em, but I think they’ll blossom in three or four years.

[Capn_Jackson]

Not sure if mine was a little older, but something struck me on this one. Going to forget the ones I have left, in the bottom of a tupper for a few years.

[GVan]

17 hours ago, Capn_Jackson said:

Not sure if mine was a little older, but something struck me on this one. Going to forget the ones I have left, in the bottom of a tupper for a few years.

Excellent review and puts my tasting schedule for the Apollo back on schedule. I have high hopes for these and love the flavors that you got off that particular Apollo. Most of my Kyle Gellis cigars take some time to come around. The Hacienda Superiores smoked ok at 6 months but took about 2 years to reach my regular smoking rotation . The Cloud Hopper 53's took about 3 years before they developed the sweetness you mention in your review. The Meastro del Tempo Lonsdales initially were some of his strongest cigars in my collection - At the first tasting my notes said don't touch for 4 years. It's now been about 4.5 years and I've recently seen a few reviews that have given them high marks and it might be time for another tasting.