MUWAT Kentucky Fire Cured
Swamp Rat 646
"This Swamp Rat review is some-portion Redux, seeing as I done this Drew Estate Swamp Thang - Cigar Review. Same blend, differently named according to format. Unfortunately, noted at-top, this format very much more than the 652 Toro Thang -- mimicked the Drew Estate Kentucky Fire Cured MUWAT experience insofar as tasting notes. As to construction(draw)/combustion(line) issues, I warrant them egregious 'nuff as to perchance I "pulled a bad one." Fortunately, I have another Swamp Rat for a Redux."
I now light-up that 'nother one...
Original review in brackets, Redux response following that:
["There is a pungent cold-nosing of vulcanized rubber-sole leather boots being set afire over seasoned woods. Said fire is then doused by liquid smoke flavoring, which caramelizes in the heat." Me, re: the KFC Muwat, and too, here. Uh-oh. Cold nose translates directly to warm draw and the first-half tastes thusly: tire-fire. Too, there exists a nigh constant need to retouch through blistering and wobbling. A snug draw is yet another issue. As the second-half closes in, a caramel apple is added to black pepper and leathery cocoa. All told, quite brackish and alkaline of an affair, gentlepersons.]
Oy gevalt, the bouquet. Profile here is a half-tick more subdued, and of the same vein. Sans woods, it is delivered softer, if not smoother. There is a puckering a' char-line yielding thick mascara. Too, a slight curvature of burn -- but nowheres near-so herein, as the previous offering therein. Nice, smooth draw un-like the first go at this offering; easy and satiating/saturating. Carmel apple takes longer to appear, and is quieter of an addition, but as stated, all is more mellow. Still brackish alkaline, humsoever. Then an under-that black pepper and leathery cocoa, faintly.
II
[Notes of wheatgrass and Black Mangrove honey come aboard after caramel apple entrenches -- making this offering more familiar to its Thang brethren. Alfalfa. Less peppery bits allow for a look at other piquancies which present somewhat exotically. Turmeric and ginger. Still with the brackish and alkaline tendencies, although lesser-so. Tire-fire dials back, as well. Espresso crema. Bitter dark chocolate vibings. Tongue is a-tingle a tick past pleasantly-so, but throatiness don't occur. Less performance issues here, to be sure -- tho by no means perfected. A pull of decent espresso joins the crema as Candela gives way to Fire-cured over-lay in final third. Too, a less bitter attachment to the still slight chocolate and a nice 'nuff smoked hickory.]
Wheatgrass and Black Mangrove honey follow the same tardy by comparison schedule of caramel apple's appearance and entrenchment. Delivered in the same manner, too. This 'un was always less peppery, and now lesser-so -- but no interesting piquancies rise-up in its wake. Espresso crema. Bitter dark chocolate vibings? None yet. That's how the second-half starts.
Once well into it, a re-touch is mandated via already mentioned stuffs. Then, I purge. Then: Espresso crema, fleetingly so. Bitter dark chocolate, strongly -- then poof. Latakia pipe 'baccy front; tire-fire caboose. I'm just not a fan of this Kentucky Fire Cured stuff, and the Candela don't off-set it here in the Rat as much as in the Thang -- which is surprising since this is slimmer. Flavors dial back now. A salty herbal minty thing or thang introduces itself. I re-touch once more again, 'bout an inch from the KFC over-lay.
A comparison twixt offerings. Here we see less re-touches and superior draw, but more muted of a profile in zetz and complexity. Still with the 'swampy' brackish drivings.
Two peanuts walk through a tough neighborhood.
One is assaulted.
I feel assaulted and a-salted.
[Notes of wheatgrass and Black Mangrove honey come aboard after caramel apple entrenches -- making this offering more familiar to its Thang brethren. Alfalfa. Less peppery bits allow for a look at other piquancies which present somewhat exotically. Turmeric and ginger. Still with the brackish and alkaline tendencies, although lesser-so. Tire-fire dials back, as well. Espresso crema. Bitter dark chocolate vibings. Tongue is a-tingle a tick past pleasantly-so, but throatiness don't occur. Less performance issues here, to be sure -- tho by no means perfected. A pull of decent espresso joins the crema as Candela gives way to Fire-cured over-lay in final third. Too, a less bitter attachment to the still slight chocolate and a nice 'nuff smoked hickory.]
Wheatgrass and Black Mangrove honey follow the same tardy by comparison schedule of caramel apple's appearance and entrenchment. Delivered in the same manner, too. This 'un was always less peppery, and now lesser-so -- but no interesting piquancies rise-up in its wake. Espresso crema. Bitter dark chocolate vibings? None yet. That's how the second-half starts.
Once well into it, a re-touch is mandated via already mentioned stuffs. Then, I purge. Then: Espresso crema, fleetingly so. Bitter dark chocolate, strongly -- then poof. Latakia pipe 'baccy front; tire-fire caboose. I'm just not a fan of this Kentucky Fire Cured stuff, and the Candela don't off-set it here in the Rat as much as in the Thang -- which is surprising since this is slimmer. Flavors dial back now. A salty herbal minty thing or thang introduces itself. I re-touch once more again, 'bout an inch from the KFC over-lay.
A comparison twixt offerings. Here we see less re-touches and superior draw, but more muted of a profile in zetz and complexity. Still with the 'swampy' brackish drivings.
Two peanuts walk through a tough neighborhood.
One is assaulted.
I feel assaulted and a-salted.
FINAL (redux) GRADE: B
PREVIOUSLY: C+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59
WRAPPER: Candela, Kentucky Fire Cured
BINDER: ?
FILLER: ?
ORIGIN: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, Nicaragua
STRENGTH: Medium
“We continue to demonstrate our leadership in the Fire Cured Tobacco segment, making history as the first company to blend Candela and Kentucky Fire Cured Tobaccos in the premium segment. It is sure not to be like any other Candela cigar you have ever smoked." and "Pairing the smokiness of Fire Cured Tobacco with the sweetness of Candela wrapper, Kentucky Fire Cured Swamp creates a uniquely balanced, complex and savory cigar; perfect for fans of both Fire Cured and Candela tobaccos." - Drew Estate Ships Kentucky Fire Cured Swamp Thang & Swamp Rat
PREVIOUSLY: C+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59
BINDER: ?
FILLER: ?
ORIGIN: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, Nicaragua
STRENGTH: Medium
IN ADDITION:
This Frankensteinian offering comes in three sizes and two names: Swamp Thang Toro (652), Swamp Thang Robusto (554), and Swamp Rat (646). The "Rat" moniker hath been famously used by Drew Estate before, though this vitola is dissimilar to the Liga Privada Dirty Rat (544).“We continue to demonstrate our leadership in the Fire Cured Tobacco segment, making history as the first company to blend Candela and Kentucky Fire Cured Tobaccos in the premium segment. It is sure not to be like any other Candela cigar you have ever smoked." and "Pairing the smokiness of Fire Cured Tobacco with the sweetness of Candela wrapper, Kentucky Fire Cured Swamp creates a uniquely balanced, complex and savory cigar; perfect for fans of both Fire Cured and Candela tobaccos." - Drew Estate Ships Kentucky Fire Cured Swamp Thang & Swamp Rat