FOH Blind Tasting Cigar Number 2 Review

[LordAnubis]

I'll kick this off. Hope you don't mind Rob.

I don't even know why I bother. 0 for 6. I might as well just smoke Jose L Piedras. I clearly have no idea what I'm smoking.

This ones a belicoso I think. Not long enough to be a number 2 I don't think. Looks like a cigar. Smells like a cigar. Tastes like a cigar. Smokes like a cigar. That's about all I'm useful for.

My notes say "toasty, but of chocolate, full bodied". Who knows. Will need to commission a random generator to pick. I'll have better odds of getting it right.

Who needs 25 bucks anyway!?!?

 

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[ayepatz]

Although I've not yet smoked it, Mus, I am leaning towards your conclusion that this is, indeed, a cigar.

I'm basing my judgement for this on the observation that it looks vaguely cigar-like, although some authenticity issues with the band do make me question that.

I'd hate to light it up only to discover that it was actually a chocolate biscuit, however a good sniff does lead me to believe that it is, very possibly, not a chocolate biscuit.

*update* Further investigative insight gleaned (from having a nibble off the end) confirms my earlier hypothesis that this is NOT, in fact, a chocolate biscuit.

However, at this time, I'm not prepared to state with any degree of certainty that it is, beyond all measure of doubt, a cigar.

Further research is needed. I shall report back.

*Further Update*

Well, I smoked the non-chocolate biscuit, and it was a very lovely thing.

I've not smoked many Piramides before, so have very little frame of reference. Based on cigars I have smoked, the first half reminded me of one marca, and the second half another very different marca.

Medium throughout, excellent construction with no touch-ups required. Barnyard and leather on the nose. Hay and floral cold draw. White pepper at beginning and end. Cream, hay, grass, a kind of dryness that was more salty than tanniny, with intermittent dollops of meatiness and leather. And a silky mouthfeel that seemed to coat my teeth, if that doesn't sound too weird.

Torn between two marcas. Given my expertise in the first round, I might as well say it's a chocolate biscuit.

[cooper669]

Well Mus, it is long enough to be a No. 2 as that is what is indicated on the band!

[skalls]

Haven't tried this one yet, will likely get to it next week. Plus side is there's only 4 belicosos so it should make the guess a little easier.

[HarveyBoulevard]

You know you gents are just making this easier on those who can't convert inches to mm or measure rg properly...right?

SHUT YOUR PIE HOLES!!!!!

(said in all manner of gest but with a hint of truth)

[TomF]

Box pressed belicoso, well constructed, colorado wrapper minimal veins, nice easy open draw

Cold draw - Hay, salt, slightly sweet coffee notes

Light/med body, lots of creamy smoke, salt, light citrus twang, woody with some sweet notes of dried fruit & nuts, spice builds on the long finish, very smooth through the nose, salty on the lips, very creamy, wonky burn required a touch-up at about an inch. Going into 2nd third twang recedes, cedar, wood, coffee bean comes to the fore, nuttiness and salt remains. Very little spice now and still very smooth through the nose. Still lots of creamy smoke. Body becomes fuller, strength increasing through the 2nd third. Burn still somewhat uneven but ash holds well; 2nd touch-up at halfway point. Flavors flatten out at the end of 2nd third. Last third - salt is gone, sweetness is gone, mostly cedar and toasted tobacco, slight nuttiness remains, no spiciness. Still lots of smooth creamy smoke. Med body now with increasing strength. Smoke stayed cool all the way down. Very enjoyable cigar and I’m feeling good. Paired with cold water after morning coffee. Smoking time 1 hour.

[Scrubber]

Well number 2 was very frustrating. I loved the flavours but the construction was terrible. It wasn't the prettiest stick but it looked nicely packed and felt well constructed. I guess appearances can be deceiving. It went out on me 3 times. It was tunnelling. Wonky burn. First cigar to do this to me in a long time and it definitely wasn't to do with my storage conditions.

Anyway, the flavours were spot on for me. I was getting some nice sweetness, cedar and cream throughout the stick. I didn't get too many transitions but the flavours did intensify the longer I smoked it.

I would say this is more of a guess for me than cigar number 1 which I guessed wrong so I don't have high hopes for getting this one right.

Despite the construction I would definitely buy this cigar again as I loved the flavours but I would be sure to buy a box hand picked by Rob.

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[qualudecosby]

Dry boxed for 5 days, great pre-light aroma. Perfect draw with glorious clouds of smoke. It was a bit less than medium with perfect construction and zero relights.

I am a big fan of pyramids and truly enjoyed this. Would definitely get a box of whatever these masked cigars are.

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[ShortFatHokie]

Fired this one up yesterday afternoon on a hungover palate...Jimmy Buffett, Huey Lewis and The News, and a bottle of rum the night before...you get the picture.

The cigar had a rough, colorado wrapper with lots of smallish veins and several bumps. I got a floral aroma from the wrapper and a cedary foot. The cigar was fairly firm to the touch.

Clipped at a slight angle and the draw was perfect. Prelight draw was "dark"...woody/black coffee. Lit it up to some nice smoke. Loved the smell of the burn - very sweet smelling tobacco.

First draw was very leathery, toasted tobacco followed by a distinct earthiness evolving into a salty, woodiness, followed by a magnificent sweetness. As I neared the end of the first third, creamy coffee took over with hints of earthiness and toasted tobacco with an underlying sweetness into the second third. At about the midway point, the creamy coffee was quite dominant maintaining slight hints of earthiness, toasted tobacco, and sweetness. The final third began with a full-blown sweetness that was short-lived as the creamy coffee took over with a spot of earthiness and toasted tobacco here and there until it was nubbed.

I really enjoyed this cigar. I found it to be fairly full flavored and about medium in strength. Even though the creamy coffee dominated the second half of the cigar, there were just enough hints of other flavors to keep it interesting. As with the first cigar, I have only smoked one cigar in this size so, once again, this will be a complete WAG...

[inukshuk]

Decided to give this a try tonight.

Aroma at cold: toasted tobacco, barnyard.

Wrapper: colorado, quite veiny. Very slight satin sheen, not oily. Perfect draw.

First 3rd: cinnamon, cloves, tiny bit of caramel in the background, a bit of cream, bit of pepper. Loads of driftwood . Medium strength.

Second 3rd: getting a tad stronger, bit over medium now. Some citrus notes coming through. Spices still prevalent, cinnamon, cloves, pepper. Burns nicely, not touch ups needed so far. Leather, rather dry.

Third 3rd: medium-strong now. Dark/burnt caramel. Dark toasted notes, espresso. Still burning very evenly.

Might be a bit young, enjoyed the first third immensely; later it got a bit too dark, burnt, slightly bitter even.

Ditched it after exactly one hour. Enjoyable smoke overall, very nice in the first half, a little less towards the end.

[dflan82]

Mine will be a total guess as I was an idiot and left it on the table for the wind to toss to the ground before I could even light this baby up. Below is the result of my negligence:

About the only flavors that I got out of this one is leather, earth, tobacco, and an occasional hint of generic sweetness.

Sorry this probably doesn't help anyone...I just had to vent

Good luck everyone!

[foursite12]

Although not a huge fan of this vitola, this was a very enjoyable smoke for me. Brief notes:

• A bit of wrapper spiciness on the lips at cold--nice
• Some baking spices start up an inch or so in and continue throughout. I could go on but not without the use of some descriptors commonly associated with particular marcas.
• Medium, lively cigar, never heavy or ponderous.
• Other tasters have commented on some construction issues. This one was fine down to the nub.

I have submitted my guess to Lisa; mental beatdown to follow.

[skalls]

Also not a big fan of the vitola (with a pyramid tip it needs to be as big as a normal pyramid), Cigar got youthful just over the halfway point. Leather and spicy, very viscous and oily smoke. Medium bodied.

No construction issues here, but it got gritty and dirty. Lasted about 45 minutes and then I pitched it/

Never had this cigar before, but the flavors I think I can exclude 2 of the marcas from it. Going to be another guess.

[RickHendeson]

Although I've not yet smoked it, Mus, I am leaning towards your conclusion that this is, indeed, a cigar.

I'm basing my judgement for this on the observation that it looks vaguely cigar-like, although some authenticity issues with the band do make me question that.

I'd hate to light it up only to discover that it was actually a chocolate biscuit, however a good sniff does lead me to believe that it is, very possibly, not a chocolate biscuit.

*update* Further investigative insight gleaned (from having a nibble off the end) confirms my earlier hypothesis that this is NOT, in fact, a chocolate biscuit.

However, at this time, I'm not prepared to state with any degree of certainty that it is, beyond all measure of doubt, a cigar.

Further research is needed. I shall report back.

*Further Update*

Well, I smoked the non-chocolate biscuit, and it was a very lovely thing.

I've not smoked many Piramides before, so have very little frame of reference. Based on cigars I have smoked, the first half reminded me of one marca, and the second half another very different marca.

Medium throughout, excellent construction with no touch-ups required. Barnyard and leather on the nose. Hay and floral cold draw. White pepper at beginning and end. Cream, hay, grass, a kind of dryness that was more salty than tanniny, with intermittent dollops of meatiness and leather. And a silky mouthfeel that seemed to coat my teeth, if that doesn't sound too weird.

Torn between two marcas. Given my expertise in the first round, I might as well say it's a chocolate biscuit.

Hilarious

[RickHendeson]

This cigar was frustrating as it had so many profile changes. Of course, this is exactly why I smoke Cubans in the first place. But in a blind tasting, it's hell.

Anyone have a 3-sided coin I can flip?

[billh1]

Cigar #2

Smoke time 2 hours. Musical accompaniment, Little Feat "Waiting for Columbus".

1st third - Sweet

2nd third - More sweetness

Final third - This cigar was a candy bar! Didn't know whether to smoke it or eat it!

Nubbed it? Dang near ate it!

Email sent to Lisa. Good luck to all!

Cheers!

Bill

[zeedubbya]

Blind #2

10:05--Hay and a little citrus on cold draw

Light body with good smoke output good burn so far, mainly wood and light tobacco to start with. Slight oiliness to it..slight pepper through nose. I'm getting no fruity flavors at all on this. It's enjoyable moved up to just under medium body now. Nose still gives little in way of zing. More woody in nose than zingy. Still under medium. Oily mouthfeel. Not creamy exactly just oily kind of. Not unpleasant oily. Giving me that little buzz that isn't unpleasant. Relaxing kind of thing. Usually get a major tongue tingle with this same feeling. Saltiness is coming on, maybe there's been a saltiness there from get go just took me a bit to get it.. Getting more salt now. Fair amount at about halfway mark. Very salty to me. Slight burn issue no biggie.

Getting into final 3rd now kind of heating up a little. Salt still there with maybe a touch of mintiness. Wood and earth through nose. Very nice but not a dessert stick in my mind at all. Tongue tingly. Good cigar. There's something else there besides salt I just can't place it. Oaky--a little charry..minty sort of, but not exactly maybe Fennell? Like a mint/licorice kind of? Wrapper going wonky. Gonna let it go soon. Salt has left it would seem getting really earthy and grassy at end. Tongue almost numb--expected this. Going south a bit. Time to quit on good note. Enjoyable smoke-not a dessert stick to me. I guess I'd smoke this after dinner, so he'll maybe it is a dessert cigar. Chocolate biscuit anyone!

11:13 finish

Reached 90 points for sure. Enjoyable smoke. Good burn except at end likely my fault. Likely just a good guess again. Haven't had this cigar I am certain.

[wabashcr]

#2 was a dud for me. Dry boxed for 5 days. Draw was perfect, burn was good, but nothing but leather, wood and generic tobacco for me. Not unpleasant at all, but I'm sure there's more to this than I experienced. It happens. Looking forward to #3.

 

Edited September 6, 2022 by bayala

[archosaur]

Finally smoked #2 last night. I love the Belicoso format. Slight box press, colorado maduro wrapper. Clipped just a smidge off the head for a perfect draw.

The opening was promising for me as it was very smooth and rich with notes of creamy coffee and cocoa. Medium body.

After that though, the cigar settled into a fairly nondescript Cuban profile for me: tobacco, black coffee, touch of earth. It did have a couple of very brief but interesting woody notes, and a hint of licorice/anise as noted in another review above. It built to medium-full body by the end of the second third, but shortly into the final third it got somewhat dirty/harsh and I put it down.

Thick wrapper required a fair amount of attention to stay lit. All things considered, it wasn't a bad cigar, but I think one that needs some down time to smooth out the rough edges.

Of current production, there is one Belicoso that I have never tried, and one that I haven't tried for many years. I think this cigar is one of those two...but which one??

[TypicalSituation]

Blind no 2. Not much in the way of flavor but we'll see how it develops. Smooth wood, a touch of sweetness, maybe some latte?

[Nrengle]

I lost my notes n this me, but all I really remember is that it was a lot of pepper and spice all through out. Never really smoothed out to the flavors I'm reading. If I didn't know better I'd say it was some kind of Nicaraguan cigar as I always seem to find this profile I. That particular NC stuff. This is going to be a total shot in the dark for me.

[ChefBoyRG54]

while i smoked this the other night my app decided to crash mid review so it wiped out what i was typing...

 

Nonethless, from memory the first third was really rough around the edges for me. Dark, earthy, toxic. Not enjoyable at all, but was burning perfectly! As first third concluded i remember wishign i smoked something else, but had to sacrifice the palette for science(and potentially $25)

 

2nd third toned down a bit and added a little bit of refined flavor in teh form of dark chocolate, slightly sweet caramel but still was overshadowed by a long, unwelcome lingering taste reminiscent of super dark and oily NCs.

final third was just more of the same. Occasional flavors i could enjoy, but a lot of chaos and dirty earth for me.

Felt like a really young cigar, but also a cigar i wouldn't be interested in having around to find out later either. Of the limited options this size presents, this reminded me of 1 of the 4 options that i smoked within the past few months and felt very similarly about.

Hopefully, for the sake of having to endure, i got this one right. Worst case, i just gain extra appreciation for my normal smoking options! I believe a lot of people like the cigar i guessed, but if i am correct then i will conclude that this one just isn't for me.

[TypicalSituation]

I would be curios to hear what everyone's rh and temp was when smoking. I don't smoke NC anymore due to that lingering dirty taste... But I did not get any of that from this cigar. Smoked at 68f 59rh. Maybe this is one of those examples where storage is key?

[TomF]

I would be curios to hear what everyone's rh and temp was when smoking. I don't smoke NC anymore due to that lingering dirty taste... But I did not get any of that from this cigar. Smoked at 68f 59rh. Maybe this is one of those examples where storage is key?

66f 63rh. And it was very enjoyable. Not an NC.

[zeedubbya]

66F and 65% RH and I enjoyed it.