BLEND: Mandinga Forte! Maduro
WRAPPER: Mexican San Andres
BINDER: Proprietary
FILLER: Proprietary
FORMAT: Gran Toro (660)
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic
INTENSITY: Medium-full
NOTES:
Coffee beans (w/chicory) | Smoked hickory | Stiff leather
A growing dark chocolate influence attaches itself to the leathery note. Nice balance there, nice everywhere really. A little bit of plum in the compost nethers. Structured quite well and thus delineated the same thanks to that smoky-seasoned hickory. Complexities occur when the hickory and chicory (coffee in tow) say hello to each other. A smooth black pepper sides with the wood. Some do-si-do happenings amongst those bits.
Regarding performance, the 60RG has a slight wobble to its line and three re-directs are required. The draw is a bit airy here and there, but the ash sure ain't and builds on itself to beat the band. Exceptionally smoky insofar as out-put and yields a pleasant dark sweet grain aroma that hits the palate at the halfway mark. There is a single soft spot up-under the band. The final-third brings on board a blackstrap molasses.
Pacing is a tick-quick but that's OK because 'Baby, it's Cold Outside,' and I'm headed back in.
TASTE: A-
DRAW: B+
BURN: B
BUILD: B+
FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79
::: very :::