2014 Blind Tasting Competition: Reviews: Cigar No. 2

[AlastairE]

After the cigar no. 1 reveal yesterday, some of you are looking to make up ground with cigar no. 2. Others will be wanting to pull away from the pack towards the $500USD/AUD cigar credit. Reminder - the winner (who can correctly identify the most cigars) will receive a $500 USD/AUD cigar credit. In the event of a tie, prize is will be split.

Some of you may have already smoked cigar no. 2, or will be shortly. This thread will be dedicated to reviews on this cigar. Please post your review on this thread without giving away what cigar you think it is.

Just a reminder on the process for this competiton:

1. Second cigar (banded 2) is to be smoked by smoked by April 30.

Slight change of plan will see you email me ([email protected]) with your nomination for this cigar before May 1st

If you send to Rob, they will be forwarded on to me anyway, so save El Pres the hassle Rob/I will post up a spreadsheet of the results and the answer.

For the following cigars it is easy. Cigar 3 by May 31st (etc etc). Each time the results will be posted via spreadsheet on the forum 7 days after the close.

[LordAnubis]

I smoked this cigar first out of all of them because it hadwrapper damage from the bouncing around it was doing no doubt while i was carrying it in my travels. I reviewd this and thought it was a PDS4. But alas that was the first cigar, so back to the drawing board i go. I wonder if Rob has done a sneaky and all 5 of the cigars are the same Wouldn't put it passed that sneaky quenslander

The draw was a bit more open than i prefer. Very slight press, not as loose as a cab, but not as tight as a dress box press. Construction good otherwise.

Bit of spice first up, some leather and cedar. Bitterness on the finish. a fair bit of stewy fruit i think, and general toasted tobacco.

I'm confused with this one.

[Habanos2000]

I wonder if Rob has done a sneaky and all 5 of the cigars are the same Wouldn't put it passed that sneaky quenslander

You may be on to something here!

[olotti]

You may be on to something here!

As an outsider looking in wouldn't that b pretty obvious after the first two cigars. Better yet rotate them and have 1 and 3 be the same as would 2 and 4 and then number 5 be something totally different. Looking forward to the reviews and reveal. Good luck everyone.

[Rye]

What a beauty cigar!

Firm, well packed, no knots.

Barnyard at cold leaning more to the manure smell than the hay, but think horses, not chickens, pigs, cows & goats.

Perfect cold draw, with grassy earthen taste.

It took to flame very easily and evenly.

Initial sweetness like mild honey mixed with wet grassy notes, and subtle hints of graham cracker. Tons of smoke, solid medium strength that is confirmed with a mild bite through the nose.

At this stage, I figured I had it in the bag as it reminded me of a cigar I have been smoking many of recently.

Then the second third happened...

Within just a few draws, this cigar transformed on me, but not at all in a bad way. Honey and grass step back and a chocolate coffee profile begin to arise, and if that's not enough, leather and earth are becoming present in the finish.

Now at this point, I succumbed to a seasonal sneezing fit, which resulted in a rather heavy bloody nose, so I took a break to go inside and get cleaned up, and after 10 or so minutes, this beauty is still burning!

Razor sharp burn for the whole journey at that.

I pour a dram of Bowmore to rinse the iron taste from my mouth and continue into the final portion which seems to have returned with grassy notes, joined by a stronger graham taste and leather on the finish.

This really has been a treat of a cigar, and is a great example of whatever it is.

With everything it has going on, my sure guess at the beginning has been extended to 3, with 1 more as a wildcard.

I am anxious to see what others say, and to finally know what this one is.

I am struggling on finalizing my guess.

[Cigar Surgeon]

What a beauty cigar!

You and I got very different cigars for #2.

[Oscar300]

You and I got very different cigars for #2.

Yeah that goes for me to.

[FireDigger]

I'm not in the competition, but it has been fun reading your accounts. I am wondering what vitola is cigar 2?

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

[Stogiedude3]

I'm not in the competition, but it has been fun reading your accounts. I am wondering what vitola is cigar 2?

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

What he said!

[Rye]

I really just wish more people that are in the contest would post their thoughts.

Out of the what, 100 or so of us, only a handful only ever keep posting even brief reviews. It's a whole lot more fun when everyone participates.

[fabes]

I really just wish more people that are in the contest would post their thoughts.

Out of the what, 100 or so of us, only a handful only ever keep posting even brief reviews. It's a whole lot more fun when everyone participates.

I'm going to dip into #2 tonight or tomorrow. Want to have a clear mind and nose to give it my all.

[fabes]

punch cut

smoking time 1:30

pre light

well constructed, great cap, even firmness, a little tighter than perfect draw, light barnyard, earthy, subtle citrus

1st third

creamy, soft spice, grassy, citrus, grassy picking up, citrus also, cherry pops in & out every now and then. kinda like a sip of cherry limeade every once in awhile

2nd third

cinnamon, earthy, subtle splash of fruit once every 1/2 inch or so, grassy coming back. second third pretty stable with flavors

final third

earthy, oaty, cinnamon the the end.

conclusion

razor sharp burn, enjoyable and dynamic until half way through, then one-dimensional. got a bit harsh during the final third. went out once during the final third.

thought I knew what it was right out the gate, but then changed my mind. after that there were no other guesses. Mind you, I've not tried all the robusto/hermosos 4, so I had to guess based on what I've tried thus far.

[fabes]

After rereading Rye's review, it looks like we had a similar experience. Very curious to see the reveal!!

[PapaDisco]

lol, this damn thing is unknowable! I just pulled out a pair of, what I guess to be the brothers of #2. I smoked them back-to-back and not only did they not match #2, they didn't even match each other nor did they fairly represent what I've come to know of this vitola!

[tomaszgeorge]

Blind Cigar Tasting No.2

After failing at the first attempt, with one of my favourite cigars no less! I am keen to turn my fortunes around with the second cigar. The scientist in me has tried to control for the smoking environment as far as possible, it is a beautiful sunny day with only a slight breeze.

Appearance: There is a mild box press to this stick, but it has great construction with no soft spots (2nd best of the bunch). The wrapper is colorado/maduro with a slight red hue. There is a sweet wet grass and slight woody aroma. The cap is well rounded and takes a cut easily revealing a perfect divot underneath.

Cold Draw: Chocolate and Hey with subtle apricot character.

Initial Draws: Milk chocolate and fruit, with a medium body to the smoke. The draw is perfect.

1st Third: The initial flavours are reminiscent of a fruit salad that has been made with summer fruits that are out of season, watery and dull, accompanied by chocolate milk and a watery coffee. A dusting of cinnamon and sprinkling of pepper come in towards the end.

2nd:

So smooth, bit more pepper, milk chocolate and very milky coffee dominating, no fruit now. Very relaxing but muted flavours, strength picking up to just over medium.

3rd:

Continues in the same vein with the creamy chocolate and coffee dominating. The fruity flavours re-emerge but are still an afterthought. There is a pronounced nicotine kick that lasts a while after I have finished smoking.

Overall this was a very relaxing smoking experience. I would love to be able to revisit this cigar in a year or so to see if the flavours become more pronounced. Again I am reminded of a marca that that does not produce a cigar in this format so I will have to send my best guess.

[Tino]

After striking out 0/5 last year I decided to do something different this time and smoke 1 and 2 at the same time. I enjoyed 2 more than 1, felt that it had more flavour and richer mouthfeel. Quite full bodied (particularly compared to 1 I thought at the time). Planning on smoking 3 on its own so will attempt a better review!

[LordAnubis]

Tino, want to smoke #3 together when we catch up ??? Are we allowed to collude our results?

[Tino]

Tino, want to smoke #3 together when we catch up ??? Are we allowed to collude our results?

Sounds good, your blind cigars will have accumulated some air miles!

[LordAnubis]

Sounds good, your blind cigars will have accumulated some air miles!

Ahahah Yep.. Brisbane to London to Accra to Mali to Accra to Amsterdam to Guatemala to Honduras to Nicaragua to Costa Rica to Amsterdam to London.

[Guest rob]

Ahahah Yep.. Brisbane to London to Accra to Mali to Accra to Amsterdam to Guatemala to Honduras to Nicaragua to Costa Rica to Amsterdam to London.

It went Cuba to Hong Kong to Sydney to Brisbane first!

[Edwhatever]

Skype herf!

[Blackham]

And three more months to go, this is a long journey

[inukshuk]

Wrapper ok, silky, two large veins. Aroma at cold: barnyard, toasted tobacco.

Perfect draw.

First: peanuts, coffee, cinnamon, hints of lemon zest. Medium strength.

Second: coffee, cream, short bread, peanuts. Needs some touching-up.

Third: dark chocolate, coffee

Finished in exactly 1 hour.

Overall an enjoyable smoke. No clue what it is…

[bigbwalls]

Cigar No. 2 Review

Cigar No. 2 is wrapped in a light brown wrapper with a gorgeous cap. It's got a good fill, firm and evenly rolled. After a clip the pre-light flavor is that of citrus. I'm excited to light it up.

Into the first few puffs the draw and burn are fantastic. Cigar No. 2 comes out of the gate with flavor - grassy, citrusy, and just a tinge of bitterness in the background.

Further in the grassiness is gone and it's sweet, leathery, and spicy through the nose. It's incredibly mild in my opinion, which shocked me as I haven't had a good flavored mild cigar in a long time.

Puffing along into the second third the spice has picked up through the nose. The citrus note is still there and a slight grassiness is back, lingering in there somewhere. The final third ramps up in strength -- just a hair -- and the flavors have become more pronounced. I would still consider it mild in strength.

I've no idea what this cigar is. While smoking Cigar No. 1 all I kept thinking was "Partagas Serie D No 4." While smoking this one, all I kept thinking was, "I have no God damn clue... but it sure is good."

I look forward to finding out what this one is so I can buy a box.

[bigbwalls]

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