Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Nicaraguan Habano
Vitola: 6 x 54 (Box-Pressed)
Purchase Link: Diesel Hair of the Dog
HAIR OF THE DOG REVIEW – CALIFORNIA
Summary: Buttercream dominates the first few puffs and since I'm smoking in the a.m., it's hitting the spot. Red pepper on the retro hale. The complexity ramps up an inch in with nuttiness and orange. The ash and burn-line are straight up sexy. Hints of mint. Step-back: chocolate mint.
Chocolate and hay to start the second third. Orange Julius.
The complexity has died off in the final third -- just cream and tobacco. Still some faint citrus every few puffs. Toast. The cream sweetness is trying to mount a comeback but is fleeting. Went out with two inches left.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Back Day at the gym.
Pairing Suggestion: Side Car.
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: Fiver.
HAIR OF THE DOG REVIEW – WISCONSIN
Summary: This box-pressed cigar started with pepper bringing up the front and coffee bringing up the rear, with graham cracker, leather, and earth added in there. It was, overall, quite bitter. At times I found it dry. Occasionally there were hints of cinnamon. Around the second half, it settled into an earthy groove and lost the dryness. Even that, though, wasn't an exciting earthiness - it was more of a flat earth. And I'm just not a believer in flat earth.
The draw was on the loose side, but nothing to complain about. The burn was perfect the whole way. Construction-wise, it did a nice job. The flavors just didn't work well for me.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: If you're really into your bitter ex or flat earth conspiracy theories.
Pairing Suggestion: Sweet tea.
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: Single.
HAIR OF THE DOG REVIEW – OREGON
Summary: When I see a box-pressed cigar, I don’t know why, but I’m always intrigued. So, color me that with this week’s smoke. It also has a fair amount of tooth on the wrapper. The cold draw is relatively plain; faint tapioca pudding and dry grass.
Initially, dark toast, caramel, cedar and cocoa make up a relatively complex beginning. Moving towards the end of the first section, the caramel is picking up some nice sweetness while the cocoa turns more towards baking chocolate, lending just a touch of bitterness.
The retro hale is peppery... wow. I’m going to call it heavy wood notes with hints of some baking spice, all sautéed in white and black pepper.
The middle of this stick has more generic wood and vegetal notes, mild caramel sweetness and the pepper spice backs way off. As far as construction notes are concerned, this cigar is batting 1000.
The end of this cigar finds tobacco notes dominating with many of the nuances disappearing and some harshness moving in. Bummer because the first 2/3 of the Cigar were very enjoyable.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Ignoring the yard work on the weekends.
Pairing Suggestion: Coffee in the a.m., vodka martini in the evenings.
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: I’m gonna go fiver on this one even with the events in the final third. With only one sample size, and perfect construction, it gets the benefit of my doubt.
Participants in this blind review were completely unaware of the cigar they were evaluating until all submissions were received and processed. Each participant was asked to answer a summary paragraph, an if/than statement, a pairing suggestion, and a purchase suggestion. Cigars were provided by Small Batch with only the expectations of candid responses. All pictures, information, and formatting were completed by a Coordinator outside of the reviewing process.
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