Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan (Estelí, Jalapa, Ometepe)
Vitola: Toro (6 x 52)
Strength: Medium+
Purchase Link: Valacari Nobility
VALACARI NOBILITY REVIEW – DOM
Summary: The top cap isn’t very symmetrically round, but the weight of the cigar feels solid. One puff in and I already know this is up my alley: caramel, strawberry, dark chocolate, and petunias.
Delivering less strength than the dark wrapper forebodes, the second half starts with a basket of fruit—namely fig. Chocolate joins hands with black pepper and the duo walks into the sunset just as the nub and night heat up. Sexy.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Tony Hawk highlight reels
Pairing Suggestion: Porter
Perceived Strength: Medium
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: Box
VALACARI NOBILITY REVIEW – RICH
Summary: This cigar brought flavors of oak, sweetness, cream, earth, steak, a bit of pepper, and an interesting root beer note. The combination of sweet and savory kept me interested the whole time.
Construction was on point, with no issues at all. This cigar was simply great. Try it.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Sweet & savory combinations
Pairing Suggestion: Bourbon
Perceived Strength: Medium
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: Box
VALACARI NOBILITY REVIEW – BEN
Summary: I definitely judged this cigar by its wrapper and decided to eat beforehand. Cold draw had a nostalgic marshmallow note accompanied by oak and earth when lit. Totally into this milk chocolate and baking spice combo even though it feels salty. Was it something I ate? Last half gets nutty; still sweet with a tad of spice. There was a little floral on my retro. Not mad at it..
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Post-lunch pick me up
Pairing Suggestion: Dark Rum
Perceived Strength: Medium+
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: Box
VALACARI NOBILITY REVIEW – TED
Summary: Starting out with notes of oak, black tea, and a dark fruit that isn’t quite ripe.
I am also tasting just a hint of sweetness and the slightest amount of pepper heat on my palate.
Towards the middle of the cigar, definitely tasting more of the sweetness, along with some warm spices, wood notes, and a vegetable note reminding me of green bell pepper. Occasionally, I still taste that unripened fruit note carrying a bit of sharpness to it. One thing that strikes me as odd with this cigar is, I will go through a section where it produces a lot of smoke, and then an inch later, I feel like it’s struggling to produce smoke at all.
Wood, earth, and a vegetable note with just a small amount of pepper heat in the retro hale. Also getting a little bit of a salty mineral note in the profile. At this point it’s not necessarily a negative but it’s just a change in what I’m experiencing. Overall, this cigar was good and I’m sure lots of smokers will like it, just wasn’t placed squarely in my wheelhouse.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: The afternoon game of dominoes with the fellas
Pairing Suggestion: Espresso martini
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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