6 x 50 Toro Box Press
WRAPPER: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Dominican, Nicaraguan
ORIGIN: Nicaraguan
BLENDER: Grupo de Maestros / AJ Fernandez
FIRST STANZA:
A nice looking stick. Dark canvass with a nice bit a' toothiness. Moderate and non-interfering veins. Tight nigh invisible seams. Nice even complexion. Excellent sheen over-top. The cap is exceptionally well-affixed and there is bupkis insofar as hard/soft spots on down its well-packed shaft.
On the first couple pulls, there is a forward peppercorn with further bracing wood bit. Manure is pushing all ahead from the under-belly and in the narrow twixt, there is some molasses and bittersweet chocolate. Mascara line begins a tick on a wobble, but corrects itself on its lonesome at bout a half-inch in. A bit more along, there's a coffee soda addition and toasting of the wood, a hickory varietal. Shortly thereafter, a bit of dark grains round out the umami-ness and some salt checks in on my lips. Peppercorn sees accompaniments of cayenne and cumin in the piquancy realm.
SECOND STANZA:
With some dust a-settlin', I can now say the profile is a gentlepersonly full. Medium-full strength of a nice wooziness with slight schvitz on upper-lip. Full-flavored, and I shall speaketh mo' to that in a tick. Body is medium-full and growing in a darkly toasted cream and syrupy leathery oils. Something of a sarsaparilla is on the long-legg'd bittersweet finish. Very rich, quite well-balanced. Fleshing out nicely.
Flavors are as they were at the opening stanza's end, with a hibiscus addition hither and thither. Primaries are a mesquite piquancy. Up-top the middlings is a now dark chocolate, under that is a pull of espresso and pile a' hickory. Under-belly is manure and dark grains.
The box press hath loosened some up toward char. Draw is an excellent medium+ tension. Smoke out-put is moderate and full off of foot and into mouf, respectively. Seams hath tightened and sheen is deepened. Pace of combustion seems somewhat quick.
At the mid-point, a purging is needed as there is a quick two/three puffs of a diesel something. This calms and as the final stanza looms nigh, strength is upped to full and manure-led under-belly rises. Caramelized sugar hits espresso and hello, Cuban coffee.
THIRD STANZA:
With all notes aboard, still, there is a thicker and separate leather and new nutshell vibe. Profile stays of same zetz, with a strength traveling downward to my challah-basket. This drop nicely by-passes any throatiness. Rather a smooth smoke for its heighty-height. Hey, my heart is palpitating.
Ash hath grown all along to a solid inch of marbled heather-grey burnt-offerings, coming outta an even and thin burn-line. All remaining notes to construction/combustion hold firm and the end is a cool and nicely firm nub. Before the end, a marked spittiness occurs with a slight dialing back of piquant tongue-tingle. Nicely complex, all-told with neat-O nuances complexities 'nuff. Transitions are via a well-rehearsed deepening of maturing notes, although too come with the aforementioned diesel dalliance and a final-third charcoal lilting.
FINAL GRADE: A-
A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F 0-59
