6:05ishpm
I am intrigued by the prospect of
The Cigar:
Asylum 13 Authentic Corojo
Honduran Corojo seed wrapper
(Grown only on Christian Eiroa farm)
Honduran binder/filler
6 x 60
Hot dang, we got an Honduran puro, gentlepersons.
Courtesy of, and available at, Cigars City
I address the wrapper, "Hell-ooo, wrapper!" No. I will not quit that bit.
Eyeing up the big fella, I see an uneven complexion of creamed to black coffee hues with an orange sort of glow. Some bumps are visible in the wrapper and the veins, quite present, as well. Seams are well constructed as is the cap. A peak at the foot shows a rather loose pack. A squeezin' of the Charmin seconds that motion.
Before I continue, a word on the burgundy brown band and how it looks like an argyle sweater which Satan might wear, replete with a skull at each intersecting line. Not my normal flavor, but I do not find I particularly mind.
Some barnyard, light manure to the schnoz. Some waxy chocolate. Moving from shaft to foot, we get the additions of sweet almost floral spices and red pepper. Some lil bit o' citrus that is more sunshine than flavor.
I received a nice gift in the mail today via Hong Kong from Jensen Corner. Why I mention that here is that said gift will be up for review shortly and consists of a humidor, ashtray, and cigar cutter. The cigar cutter did a nice job of this Asylum 13 60 gauge affair. A cold pull is sweetly spiced orange or red peppered molasses and either way, rather sparingly. Notes of cinnamon and brown sugar linger. All is a tad dusty. Draw is somewhat loose.
Light:
Rustic bread fresh pulled from a wood oven and roasting orange zest notes escape off the foot as it toasts. BIG smoke on the first hot pull. Red pepper and chocolate boom. Finish of sweet toasted cream and more milk chocolate. All carried on that rustic bread. Some baking spices weave in and out from draw to finish. Did I mention there's a lot of smoke? The second draw is retro-haled and is of red pepper flake and rich molasses. Chocolate, rich and creamy, drops thick to my palate with a citrus under-note. There are some blood red flowers at the end of the finish. A third pull is full on everything with a huge amount of smoke and I'm all like "whoa."
Burn is un-dead even with a slight ripple or two and burn-line is medium. Ash is light to dark grey and a bit clumpy, building on in ladder rungs. Medium+ profile is my knee-jerk reaction this early on. Very thick mouth-feel of a hot cocoa vibe but spiced a la hecho en Mexico. Room-note is of Brylcreem. Wait -- I'm just trapping its smoke in my hat while reviewing on my porch. Ahem. Room-note is spiced chocolate and deep tobacco. Very late night desert. There's a citrus tang there too, as with the flavor its not acidic but is sweet.
BIG bursts on each pull. Notes on my palate stretch up into my nasal cavities and march toward my brain. They carry chocolate. Lotsa chocolate. Baking to Milk and all points in-between. Baking spices with a cinnamon emphasis. The thick sugar of a Cuban coffee. There's remains a sweet citrus that is oft straight on orange which leads the profile from behind, as the foreground flavors beat the drums. Finish is very sweet chocolate and heavy to the point of chewy. Han Solo smokes one of these when he misses his sidekick. This Asylum 13 Corojo, gentlepersons, is the Chewbacca of cigars.
All nods toward construction hold. Burn evens to near perfection. ash continues to ladder-rung on. Helluva smoker, this. Medium strength thus far but I expect it to ramp upward. Flavors and body: full. This is kinda fun.
I wave the thick white foot-smoke from my eyes in order to type. It is kind but very thick and voluminous. The thing feels good in my hand and smoke-hole for a 60rg. I imagine the soft packing has to do with that. And too the loose draw flavorful pulls.
Speaking of, all notes to flavor hold, other than the red pepper which has subdued since its onset and now is mainly memory but on the retro-hale. Actually, there's a red purple fruit on the end of the extremely long finish. I can send up smoke signals with this thing! I can only hope their message is as sweet as the aroma.
I roll off an inch of ash as to not be showy and [is it dizzy in here, or is it just me?] it is somewhat powdery but mostly solid with a trace of oils. For as strongly flavored as this Asylum 13 is, it's quite kind and the finish is lovely in a powerful way -- like a wild horse. Or a Wookiee. I sit back and blow smoke rings on my porch in a slight wind. To give you a further idea of the smoke's density, I punch a ring and bruise a knuckle. No foolin', gentlepersons.
Act II:
I lay out a schmatta handkerchief across my lap for feces and facial gestures, and schtick. Very fun smoke. Jovial but complex. Some nuances add on now, as well: a deepening of the red purple syrupy fruits and the sweet earthy mulch they spring forth from. The orange becomes a more regular visitor. I notice I occasionally cringe before the draw, but in a playful way -- as when a lady tickles you while you're both half dressed. Full profile now, almost lustfully so. Does Chewbacca have a sexy sister?
Pack loosens a bit burn is dead on even to slightly rippled, to back again -- with a razor thin burn-line. Flavors char a bit, but in a welcoming and savory fashion, fat burger grease dripping onto charcoal briquettes. Fantastic midway transition, gentlepersons.
A touch of black pepper now but the chocolate continues to be the star and also to evolve in that role. Very dark now. Citrusy orange notes continue to steer from the backseat. Brown sugar muscles in and with its emergence, baker's spices turn sweet.
Another roll of the ash is unchanged from the first. I received two of these beauts from my pals at Cigars City. I already cannot wait to smoke the second. I should say that this isn't even my typical dainty profile, but wow. I likey, I does. The red pepper stays on the retro-hale, but is roasted and accompanied by sweeter spices and brown sugar.
Since the transition, the strength has subdued some to a medium+. Flavors and body remain quite full. The overt savoriness abates some and there is a mellowing, but only by comparison. I will say again -- late night desert. As if Denny's employed a three star pastry chef.
Act III:
Back up to full across-the-board profile. Rich dark chocolate now. The fat on charcoal returns. Bursts of 'range. Sweet red purple fruits and spices; artisan toasted bread backing. A mulchy earthiness permeates throughout.
If my hair wasn't under a half inch of grandpa's oil, it would be standing at attention, I do believe.
Construction is completely unchanged. The foot-smoke mellows a noticeable amount but remains quite present, it's aroma is a bit darker. Don't they put chocolate on their chili in Cincinnati? That. With a twisted orange slice garnish. Peppers ebb now. There's a bit of a sharper mouthfeel but still nice. I sip from my coffee for the very first time.
The bread turns to a whole wheat. Cedar comes on. Some sweetness subdues; but the sweet orange holds well as the heavy tobacco comes on. Chocolate goes darker. Barry White comes on the radio. Chewy's little sister don't look half bad in a darkened room. I place a Do Not Disturb sign on the exterior handle of our inter-galactic cruiser and pour liberally from my space vaccumed bottle of Blackberry Manischewitz...
Full profile. Both the Asylum 13 and Chewbacca's sis. Each handle their voluptuousness quite well.
Very interesting in two ways, this Asylum 13. Firstly in the amount of citrus on hand. Secondly in that this is the leading note, but is not out-front. Also, maybe not interesting but worthy of note, is how well the thing burned for such a large ring gauge.
All told, this is an interesting deviation from the normal smoke, but for a normal + experience level smoker. There is strength, there is a loose draw which requires restraint, and there is somewhat of a reverse profile (the way in which the citrus leads).
I should too note that this is a complete departure from the rest of the Asylum line.
Pairings:
Full City roasted java, black. Blackberry Manischewbaccaslittlesisteritz.
Final Grade: A
(B+ for the smoke and another bump up for the ballsy way Mr. Eiroa chose to blend this Nicaraguan departure via Honduras. You need a certain jovial bent to do this, and it shows in the offering.)
Epilogue:
7:30orsopm
I'm awful proud of me.
Sure, I'll tells ya why. It's because from band to gauge to blend, this is not my usual fare. I can honestly say if not given this for review purposes, I'd not have given a thought to smoking it. Times like these I feel I've really grown.
Good evening and thanks for reading, gentlepoopons.