Thursday, May 24, 2018

Caldwell Cigars Savages in Piramide - Cigar Review by Kaplowitz

"Why not Kaplowitz?"


"Caldwell’s Savages is a limited edition extension ot [sic] the Long Live the King line. Although it’s [sic] blend is undisclosed it is creamier and nuttier than Long Live the King and The King is Dead flavorwise. Savages is available in 5 vitolas in 10 count boxes. Only available to existing Caldwell accounts." - www.CaldwellCigars.com

"One avenue that cigar makers have to bring new cigars to market is to take an existing blend and modify it somehow – make it stronger or lighter, change the wrapper, put out a limited edition tweak of the blend, and so on. Such is how Savages -- one of Caldwell Cigar Co.’s latest releases -- came to be. It starts with one of Robert Caldwell’s debut lines, Long Live the King. Announced in February 2014 ..." - www.Halfwheel.com  (2016)

Caldwell Cigars is a sponsor of K/M.

WRAPPER: Habano
BINDER: Dominican
FILLER: Dominican & Nicaraguan

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
PROFILE: Spice-Sour/Sweet
FORMAT: Piramide (650)
ORIGIN: Dominican


Overtones feature an outta the gate front-loaded toasted pepper-spice which is quite bright & a tick or two fusty. This is accompanied by a dusty, bright sour-sweetness. Undertones are a lightly roasted/salted bitter note carried on a savory herbal thing akin to a chicken broth but that's an absurdity best left for an upcoming bullet-point segment of this review. Nicely balanced in a movable fashion. Complex, though lacking the depth to be nuanced. The complexities come mainly in the play twixt sour and spice. Really rather interesting.
  • Pepper (red peppercorn & white)
  • Spices (ginger, nutmeg, clove)
  • Citrus (grapefruit)
  • Cream (spiced)
  • Honey (orange blossom)
  • Booze (rum)
  • Herbal (rosemary, thyme)
  • Wood (apple)
  • Meat (well, poultry)
  • Hay
  • Earth (dirt)
The savage's body was muscular, his sweaty pecs glistened in the sun... this Savages' body sees a growing creaminess more-so than diminishing spicy zestiness -- altho that spice does dial back. Its medium-full body is rather rigid yet richly-so. The texture here is a bit too coarse to be smooth but is non-abrasive. No bite. Finish is a complex sweet-sour thing after initial spice zest. Ends cleanly. Mouth-hole temp is tepid. Strength-wise, this Caldwell gives a nice & kindly swoon.

Combustion operates on a bit of a curvature with the occasional blister to char-line. Burns at a nice even and fairly slow pace. Gives off a hair less than a moderate amount of passive smoke, whereas the draw gives a moderate quantity. Ash fails to make an inch and presents dryly. 

As far as construction, since that's next up in my template, the draw is a bit too snug particularly as the Piramide tapers down. Its seams see some loosening ahead of burn but hold-fast on-down. No hard/soft spots. Nub retains its shape well.

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

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56 K/R