Sunday, October 29, 2017

La Gran Llave - Cigar Review

Part of the 'Jewish experience,' near as I can tell, is oft feeling removed from the 'Jewish experience.' I don't know what exactly it is that I mean by that. How's that for an intro into this, the La Gran Llave? A cigar which has nada to do with that thought, and is quite reminiscent of other AJ Fernandez blends which do not tote his name on the band.

With a year under its belt in the market-place, the company was begun and previously headed by Michael Argenti and Angel Aguayo, who employed AJF in production/distribution. M.Argenti left the company rather quickly, placing A.Aguayo in control till 'round December whenst Fernandez doth acquired the brand. That's the gist of it-all, pretty much.

Now to smoke it.

A darkly handsome stick with moderate veins and tooth. Rather light in the mitt. No hard/soft spots. Well-affixed cap. Remains neatly pressed down-to tepid nub. Once lit, there are some nigh immediate tunnelling concerns which never come to full-fruition, but doth nag and require some thought. I hate thought. A handful a' light re-touches are needed through-out. A wispy draw in spots is medium tension'd throughout, but lends to mandating care 'gainst over-smoking. Varying out-puts into both room and smoke-hole are experienced, as are some loosening of seams around burn-line in the second-half. Pacing is uneven but within a slowish-range.
  • Black pepper, coarsely ground
  • Top-soil
  • Cedar, seasoned
  • Baking cocoa
  • Espresso beans
  • Leather, dryly
  • Cherry
  • Potpourri
  • Mulch
Straight-forward and front-loaded with simple black pepper which exhibits some harshness before quieting. For some-what heighty notes, the body and strength fairly lack in weighty. A lack of balance isn't helped by further imbalances in flavors, wherein sweetness and savoriness are a-lackin'. The sole transition is that quieting, but no real complexities are unveiled thereafter. Some bit of nuances in floral fruity whispers or perchance whimpers. I advise against a retro-haling, as the pepper never smoovs though the nose. Finish is a short extension of primary peppery earth. 

WRAPPER: Mexican San Andres
BINDER: Ecuadorian Habano
FILLER: Nicaraguan Habano

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
FORMAT: Robusto (554) Box-press
ORIGIN: Tabacalera Fernandez, Nicaragua
BLENDER: AJ Fernandez

FINAL GRADE: B
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59

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"THE MONK REPLIED"