RA 8-9-8

[pnutbutrsangwich]

After smoking the RAC, I got really curious about this cigar. I've had a box that I have dipped into on occasion over the past year and I've had decidedly mixed results. The overwhelming youth of this cigar has been the theme of the most recent samplings. Ignoring this, I decided to give this box one more shot before I try and forget about it.

This example was a real looker. The wrapper was quite dark and had a sheen that would have fooled some for having the appearance of being lacquered. Just a beautiful looking dalia. I clipped the cap and found a more open draw than I expected. For a long cigar like this (probably at the top end of my range of vitolas), I definitely want a more open draw. I'll settle for tightness to a point in smaller sticks, but I'm not going nuts here! Prelight draws, being so open, yielded little of interest.

Fired it up and was blasted with a malty sweetness and the tannins of nuts (like the brown skin stuff on walnuts). As the cigar burnt down a bit, complex woods came into the fray, but these notes were not as strong as the nuts. Mild cinnamon and red pepper mixed with nutmeg danced in and out. However, all of these flavors were fighting a youthful harshness. While some draws were better than others regarding this, I was again reminded of the need to let these sit for a considerably longer period.

The harshness built toward the end and I pitched it with about 2.5 inches to go. I think this is just one of those cigars that I just don't get. I haven't had an example that really blew me away, though I read fantastic reviews about them all the time. Perhaps I have a bad box. We'll give it a shot in another year, I suppose.

[aavkk]

thanks for another great review Pnut. Just out of curiosity do you have the boxcode?