Arturo Fuente Cigars Chateau Fuente Maduro in Review

BRAND: Arturo Fuente
BLEND: Chateau Fuente Maduro

WRAPPER: Connecticut Broadleaf
BINDER: Dominican
FILLER: Dominican

FORMAT: Robusto (4.5x50)
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic
INTENSITY: Medium-full
SPICE: 3/5

NOTES:
Macchiato (unsweetened) | Cedar (sleeved) | Chili powder+

Syrupy strong put-hair-on-yer-chest brew with just a 'mark' of milk. The cedar sleeve adornment adds to a sense of balancing bright-lively and structuring cedar. Cumin, savory forward chili powder, with a smoked paprika attachment which does things on its own+. A strong, capable, independent smoked paprika.

A grown-up cigar with nothing to prove. Ash builds big, silver-white. Top-leaf is veiny, but to be expected. Draw is lovely, as are pacing and burn. Classics gonna classic, I 'spose. Hard to go too wrong with this one. Would pair well with hooch, and superbly with a macchiato. And a game of dominoes.

TASTE: A
DRAW: A-
BURN: A-
BUILD: B+

FINAL GRADE: A-
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79

::: very ::: 

Kiki Momo Cigars Toro Designer 2 in Review

BRAND: Kiki Momo
BLEND: Designer 2

WRAPPER: Maduro
(Habano flourishes, Candela moon)
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Toro (6.5x54) Box-press
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Mild-med./Medium
SPICE: 1/5

NOTES:

More foot than mouth smoke. Nice olfactories. Even a classic smell to pre-lit top-leaf. Palate-wise, a whisper-bit of flat chocolate soda spilt into top-soil. Cedar-anise. Tree bark? Pine cones? Outdoorsy, but I'm upwind.

TASTE: B
DRAW: B-
BURN: B+
BUILD: B

FINAL GRADE: B
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79

::: very ::: 

Baccarat Cigars Rothschild in Review

BRAND: Baccarat
BLEND: Baccarat

WRAPPER: Connecticut Shade
BINDER: Mexican
FILLER: Honduran

FORMAT: Rothschild (550)
ORIGIN: Honduras (Camacho)
INTENSITY: Mild-Medium
SPICE: 1.5/5

NOTES:
Lemon | Sandy Soil | Caramel

Lightly sweetened skin(nards), coarse innards. Earthen forward in a cacti potting soil featuring excellent drainage, aeration manner--rough grit. Lemon, candied, a white peppercorn catch. Not smooth, but mild. Half-strength sparring leg kicks. Caramel, maybe nougat. Imperfect but hands-free construction, combustion.

TASTE: B
DRAW: B
BURN: B+
BUILD: B+

FINAL GRADE: B
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79

::: very ::: 

Kiki Momo Cigars Patriot Cigar in Review

BRAND: Kiki Momo
BLEND: Patriot Cigar

WRAPPER: Habano // Maduro
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Torpedo (61/8x52) Barber-pole
[Maduro stars, Habano bars]
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 2/5

NOTES:
White toast | Nutter butter | White/Red pepper

Move over, "You'll be farting through silk." Hello, "You'll be spitting out stars." That was my thought exactly, as I spit out the aforementioned Maduro stars. A couple got in my mouth, see.

Serviceable smoke, Excellent visual appeal. People eat with their eyes, why not smoke with them too? As a disclaimer, I am not speaking in a literal sense. I'm not even speaking. I am typing.

Palate-wise, a smooth thing with not much complexity or delineation, but a nudge of pepper hither-thither. Sandy citrus notes tucked into thin suede. A bit of floral salinity and a distant apple butter.

TASTE: B
DRAW: B+
BURN: B
BUILD: A-

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79

::: very :::