Dunbarton T&T Cigars Muestra de Saka Krakatoa in Review

BRAND: Dunbarton T&T
BLEND: Muestra de Saka Krakatoa

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan

FORMAT: 648 w/ pig-tail (fancifully/fancily)
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Full

NOTES:
Cedar | Citrus | Spiced earth

Hits like Sherlock Holmes practicing Baritsu--with everything, all at once, and with a gentleman's rigidity. A very intriguing cedar note structure. Sweet and influenced by a dark in-and-of-itself citrus, but held into the light. Roasted oranges served on a sunlit white table cloth'd table. That cedar is lively but mature--spry. Coffee and golden dirt swirl behind. A hint of dark oily mintiness.

In the in-betweens offer are offered looks at sarsaparilla, caramel, and cocoa. All are strung together on a strand of black and red pepper with some almost dainty but still visible herbal tendencies. Green peppercorn. It's an almost stealthy blend, however, of aptly volcanic emoting. Complex and nuanced. A high-wire balancing act pulled off with pizzazz and aplomb. Huzzah!

Excellent draw. Very good ash-building. Superb construction. Burn-line wiggles a half-tick. Smoke out-put is moderate in volume but heavy on spicy-sweet aroma. Leathery there, on top of the more prominent top-notes discussed above. One must have on their finest of adult undergarments in order to gird their (dare I say) loins. A smoke that will most definitely and nigh defiantly separate the truly seasoned gentlepersons from the unfortunate riff-raff of lower classes.

More than a bit like watching a devasting eruption through a monocle. I say, according to my pocket watch it's time for the armageddon--or a nap.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Buffalo Trace Robusto in Cigar Review

Buffalo Trace Robusto in Cigar Review

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Sumatra
BINDER: Brazilian Arapiraca
FILLER: Dominican, Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Robusto (549)
ORIGIN: General Cigar Dominicana
INTENSITY: Medium-full

NOTES:
Leather | Baking spice | Chocolate

Eyeballs as a fair bit rustically and leathery. Tastes a fair bit leathery, too. Chocolate; semi-sweet and milk varietals--maybe even some corner brownie. Kindly attainable baking spice array. Walnut pieces. Fleshy. A tick oily and more than a tick creamy on the palate. What you'd expect insofar as finding the widest audience possible, but not what you'd maybe expect in avoiding the gimmicky even flavored nature sometimes employed in similar corporate duets. Quite legit.

So a real cigar. Kudos. I've obviously been putting off trying this one. That said, it does flatten some for lack of structure but some strong cowboy coffee in the second-third at least adds nuance. I feel as though there's a missing wood note. There's also a big fruity red wine in the far behind. Perhaps a cork popped in the house next door. Strength is a building thing and I wonder if that might put off some nascent cigar smoker whisky drinkers. I like it fine. OK, a hair beasty-bitey.

Nice smooth draw. Ash builds well. Burns a bit jaggedly-so but not so much as to require a touch-up. Quite veiny, a bit loosey-goosey at the seams. No biggie. Nice smoke out-put and a fair bitter-sweet aroma doesn't hang around much--at least compared to the finish. A bit of barnacles there, and peppered-leathery oils threaten pungency as meatiness steers there. As the steer steers, if you will. Do buffalo(s?) fall under the steer header? I once had some buffalo nickels socked away. I always seem to want to spell buffalo wrong.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Lampert Cigars 1675 Edicion Morado (Robusto) in Review

BRAND: Lampert
BLEND: 1675 Edicion Morado

WRAPPER: Mexican San Andres
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Robusto (550)
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium-full

NOTES:
Fruits | Cedar | Mocha latte

Fruity-herbaceousness. I wanna say grape leaves. Water-color paintings of grapes outside still-life bowls of paler fruits. Moist. Thin. Mocha latte stirred with raw cedar swizzle.

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

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

I reviewed this blend in its Toro iteration HERE. This Robusto is surprisingly less focused, forceful, and spiced than that. Typically it's vice-versa. A more thoughtfully-cautious smoke here; feels somewhat like the younger brother.

::: very ::: 

1st & 15th Podcast | Dolly, Kenny, and Kaplandia

1st & 15th Podcast | Dolly, Kenny, and Kaplandia

"In this episode of the 1st & 15th, Kap and Phil discuss framed credentials, shoulder surgery recovery time, Kenny Rogers taking recommendations from Dolly Parton, and why Kaplandia is quite lovely." - Phil Kurut, co-host, show producer, and self-proclaimed GOAT.

Listen to this episode

(& SUBSCRIBE) on:

APPLE PODCASTS or SPOTIFY

About the 1st & 15th Podcast: Twice a month (see show name for dates), Phil Kurut and I chat too long about nothing of consequence. A pure waste of time. Cool.

::: very :::