WRAPPER: Connecticut Shade
BINDER: Mexican San Andres
FILLER: Nicaraguan, Brazilian
FORMAT: Corona Gorda (5.5x46)
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Mild-medium/Medium
NOTES:
Spiced cream | Leather | White pepper
A supremely consistent blend. This is not to be taken as linear or uneventful, as there are plenty of nuances and depth, many subtle complexities. Simply it remains much the same from beginning to end. Quite creamy and within that aspect, softly spicy. Cinnamon and clove whisper but not weakly-so. Heavy butternut vibes. Everything seems wrapped in a thick well-worked and smooth leather. White pepper, ground fine, keeps the profile from being wishy-washy.
A pale melon fruitiness and white flower tandem swirls between that and the underneath chicken coop earthiness. A tick of kaolin clay is there. Nice hefty smoke and moderate-lengthed sweet not cloying finish. Almost ends in a fresh near-minty note, really. For all the cushiness, there is a decent structure that seems inherently achieved sans contrived wooden framework. All this plus a dee-lish room-note of plushly sweet-savory goodness. Tranquil. Also a hard-to-quantify slumbering machismo.
Insofar as construction and combustion, AKA performance, it's difficult to spot any issue at all. A carefree experience in keeping with the tranquility already mentioned. There seems little that AJF can't offer. Draws superbly, and holds hella ash, bruv. Zero hard/soft spots and near-invisible seams. The burn-line does get a half-bit jagged at times but quickly self-corrects. The mascara line does err toward thick. Smoke out-put is voluminous and kind. The pacing is, again, tranquil. Understated.
TASTE: A-
DRAW: A
BURN: A-
BUILD: A
FINAL GRADE: A-
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79
::: very :::