Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaragan
Filler: Nicaraguan, Mexican
Vitola: Corona Gorda (6 x 46)
Strength: Medium+
Purchase Link: Rojas Unfinished Business
ROJAS UNFINISHED BUSINESS REVIEW – DOM
Summary: I find myself looking at this cigar for longer than normal before lighting up. It has a soft box press, a partially closed foot, and the wrapper has that light brown, dusty look like an old chocolate bar. Milk chocolate and cloves make this cigar fit for the holiday season. Floral notes mingle with potting soil for some depth. Tapping off the stack of dimes, the strength sits comfortably at medium.
Entering the second half, peanut shells and Mexican hot chocolate keep the dessert train rolling. This cigar is full of sweet thickness like fudge; I don’t think I’d enjoy a larger cigar in this blend, but this size is on the money. Fruit, leather, and potpourri close up shop.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Homemade wreaths
Pairing Suggestion: Bourbon
Perceived Strength: Medium
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: 5-pack
ROJAS UNFINISHED BUSINESS REVIEW – RICH
Summary: This cigar brings bold notes of earth, spice, dark chocolate, clove, black pepper, and walnut. Sweet butter joins the party partway through. There’s a long pepper finish. Overall, this was a delightful combination of flavors that I enjoyed quite a bit.
Construction on the cigar was great; no issues to speak of.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Christmas cookies
Pairing Suggestion: Bourbon
Perceived Strength: Medium+
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: Box
ROJAS UNFINISHED BUSINESS REVIEW – BEN
Summary: The wrapper looks damn near perfect and petite. Wood and savory to start. Balanced with a smooth retro entering the second half with potent leather, white pepper, and nutmeg to finish. This cigar feels far from complex and kind of boring to smoke.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Turning the TV on for background noise
Pairing Suggestion: Water
Perceived Strength: Medium
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: Single
ROJAS UNFINISHED BUSINESS REVIEW – TED
Summary: This week’s smoke is a slender, softly box-pressed beauty with a partially closed foot. Dried apricot on the cold draw.
I’m experiencing quickly disappearing fruit notes up front, then a dry mix of toast, coffee, and earth. A quarter inch of ash does a trust fall into my lap. It didn’t work out. Occasionally I’m tasting faint sweetness and a hint of pepper, but overall, the profile is a bit pedestrian.
Entering the middle portion and it’s umami, toast, oak, and earth with a dry and slightly bitter finish. This ash looks solid then just gives up on life unexpectedly, landing everywhere except the ashtray. Still, nothing flashy about the profile.
Finishing up and flavors of burnt toast, coffee, earth, and charred wood… very dry and slightly bitter. I also feel like smoke production was always good, but I was hoping for more.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Quarterbacks representing the “Heisman Bust”
Pairing Suggestion: Something sweet… rum!
Perceived Strength: Medium+
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: Single
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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