Dunhill Signed Range - Cigar Review

PROLOGUE

I'll be co-hosting a "Radio Herf" this Sunday afternoon, 3:30pm Pacific. All you need to attend is a cigar in one mitt and a phone in the other. Call-in number is: (657) 383-1172. Come early, stay as long as ya like. I hope to 'see' ya there.

But as for now --

THE CIGAR

Dunhill Signed Range
4 1/2 x 52 Robusto
Nicaraguan wrapper
Cameroon binder
Dominican & Nicaraguan fillers

Secured via Cigars City*

PRE-LIGHT

First thing I notice here is the oil-slick velvety hand-feel. Isn't this more of a Rothschild than a Robusto? is my second thought. Third thought? I don't recall. It's the short-term stuffs which make me...er...key fob?

Very tight and even seams, but quite visible nonetheless. Band is reminiscent of a stiff upper British lip in brown and silver. Minimal veins and too of no concern toward burn nor trespass on the hand-feel. Dark brown even-complected. A very rich hue. Monochromatic foot tobacco with a slight whisper of reddish up-tick in a singular tuft. Medium+ thickness of foot density. Looks like a double cap on the other end, tightly done.

Hand-feel has been done up. Balance is nice. 50+RG? FEH! Actually, it feels nice. -Firm packing on the Charmin squeezing with a slight more sponge at 1/3's end. Barnyard, ginger, and molasses are the schnoz notes on the shaft. Hickory and licorice are added at the foot. Some uncommon notes here, gentlepersons.

I nibble off the cap and a dead medium draw shows me notes of creamy butter, cracked black pepper, and licorice. I likey licorice, I does. I curse my marriage and put two coats on, as I head outside to my porch/office post-sundown.

LIGHT

6:00pm
Very heavy hickory note on the foot-toasting, which combined with lighting, took a small forest full of wooden matches between a half breezy porch and this Dunhill's stuffed stuffings. First hot pull is very, very heavy with oils. Both from creamy butter and heavy toasting cream. Other draw notes are cracked pepper, Cuban coffee, green pepper, licorice... oy vey. Cinnamon and vanilla come in on the finish and mount there. A very long and growing finish. Lips are coated in butter. Chest is warm. Hold all my calls; and that was only one hot pull?  A second one is retro-haled to just a tick more peppercorn and a bunch more cinnamon. Third hot pull is more cinnamon, licorice, Cuban coffee, butter, cream, chocolate. So many of these notes are at the far end of the draw and morph on the full length and a bag of chips finish.

Salt and pepper ash in already flaky ladder-rungs. dead even burn on a razor line. Not so much as a 1/8 of a tick of softening. Smooth and unchanged medium draw. Very smoky off the foot -- lots of hickory and dark chocolate there. Interestingly, I've yet to find the draw's backing or under-note. It's all rather up-in-the-air helter-skelter thus far. Impressive notes, nonetheless. Mouth-feel is THICK and continues to allow flavors to dance on it and build into the long legged finish.

...thus said, body is a -full. Flavors are a medium+, and strength is a medium but I have a pinch of salt at the ready. Impressive start. Quite luxurious!

ACT I

Ash clumps off at not even half an inch as I tray the Dunhill to slide on my fingerless gloves, to lay my schmatta out on my lap. Hmmm. Coarse ground powder consistency. Almost jaggedly so.

Notes delineate and blend and swirl. Primarily, they are Cuban coffee, licorice, and hickory. Secondarily there is jalapeno and cracked black pepper. A cinnamon and vanilla come in as the spicier notes fade and cling to the thick cream and creamery butter mouth. My cheeks, my palate, my lips -- all doused in sweet warm oils and creams and a nice warmth is in my throat. It's seeking out my chest and while I love it; a perhaps triple dosing of Flintstones vitamins is called for at beddy-bye time.

All notes to construction are marvelous and ditto'd from last mention. Only the ash is a fercockt loose piling on of salt and pepper. I'm surprised to see no oils therein. So. Much. Smoke. Room note is a hacking-worthy hickory and dark chocolate with a new nutmeg. Nutmeg is high-lighted on the draw.

You know how a Ninja throws down a smoke bomb and disappears? That. My eyes burn, but only if I keep them open. This, gentlepersons, is my idea of fun. Heavy herbs and wheat malt come in. I'll name 'em as I sees 'em, but there's not enough method for a line-up sheet. Nor is there yet a backing -- whichever note is lowest at that time, backs. Also, all the notes are as high as a guy named Moon Dog. The first 1/3 takes all of 23 minutes and we are in --

ACT II

Profile is a -full across the board and I can't see the sugar I set aside for all the smoky smoke. Thick creamy white billows of it. There's a zetz in my chest like I downed a smooth enough booze. Tastes are less delineated now, but FULL. Vanilla fills the rest of the room and ramps up on the draw, a darkly toasted cream rises after I think it could rise no more. A stick that Mr. T should narrate in an attempted sweet voice. Samuel L. Jackson reading a mother fucking children's book (pardon my Francais).

All note are in there and blended -- like how all colors make blended make black. I'm dizzy. Heavy sweet mouth and finish. Caramel is new and goes to the sweetnesses. Mesquite BBQ sauce is new and goes wherever the heck it wants. A savoriness sets in at the midpoint. It diminishes nil from the sweet.

Construction is a perfect ditto yet again and ash solidifies and darkens with oils. Mahogany, thyme. I feel as though this is shaving years off my life and as a married man, I'll take a box! Fantastic and awesome -- if not awe-inspiring display. This Signed Range should have been a hit in the US market. Perhaps if there was one with a 70 ring gauge?

This is refined muscle.

The burn slows. A lion laying in the tall grasses, licking its paws but staring ya down. Dark, dense and sweet composted earth is the new backing. Charcoal comes in and there's meat on the grill. Ash will not make an inch, don't try. I wonder of short leaf? Nah, no other notes to construction are barely shy of perfection.

ACT III

Flavors fall a bit to the composted earth underneath, but lose zilch by way of intensity. Mouth crisps a bit, but moisture is perfect. Burn smolders. Smoke pours. I need to be enveloped in dark wood paneling. A room with richly appointed leather furnishings. I could use a handful of ticks upward as far as delineated notes, but I do not believe that's this Dunhill's point. For a 52RG, it doth feel lovely in thine smoke-hole.

Green herbal notes perform a brief and heart-felt soliloquy. Burn is even all day and its burn 24 hours of razor. I walk into the house to grab a bit of warm and two minutes or more later, I pull and it's there with a voluptuous pluming. Leathery notes soar. Meats have been consumed and no seconds hit the grill. Charcoal embers on. Chewiness sets in. A molasses. Sweetness beats down savory, but each note is dark and heavy. Cuban coffee steps forward.

Profile is -full at least, dig. It fluctuates to full here and there in sweetened ticks. Burn slows again. Draw tightens a notch as the band grows lazily near. Smoke picks up a somewhat caramel low-light in the pure white cumulus. Ash pales. The lion stretches and you can see every muscle fiber. The finish lengthens to as long a legged affair as I recall being privy to. Smoke warms comfortably.

Leave me alone, pal.

Is what I wanna say, instead I'll just reach for a toothpick...slowly...and say...

Leave me alone, pal. But thanks, as always, for reading. Mesquite and mahogany will show ya out. I don't feel like getting up. Jalapeno'll close the door behind you.

NOTES

Ever get roughed up by a Sir? I think I perhaps just did. I recall saying "Thank you," as he walked away. I sure hope I didn't get any of my blood on his lovely suit.

Flavors fall and body thins noticeably at the band. Mouth sharpens. Worth the price of admission to sample some uncommon notes. A very erratic display which made the strength, at times, uncomfy.

PAIRINGS

Something dark and sweet. Nothing is really mandated, but nothing could hurt.

FINAL GRADE

****B+****

LESS SCHTICK MORE STICK

Mellow: Nope, but not angry
Coarse: Rather
Sweet: Heavy and dark, yes
Spicy: I pronounce the "J" in jalapeno and giggle
Savory: Meat and BBQ sauce and mesquite and charcoal and yup
Strength: Boy howdy!
Draw: Fine
Burn: Wonky tendencies
Construction: Overall, excellent
Primary Note: Huh?

EPILOGUE

7:15pm-or so

*secure yer own in the Dunhill Celebration Sampler.
Get 10% off using the code KAP-SENT-ME at the check-out.

Also included in the sampler are the:
Aged Dominican & 1907.
You can read my reviews by clicking the names.

Now if you'll excuse me gentlepersons, I need to go sacrifice a chicken in order to stop the raining which keeps cancelling Portland Meadows race cards. I like to sacrifice my chickens at 350 degrees until juices run clear. Soaking it in brine before hand really makes it dee-lish.