Trinidad Fundadores ARS JUL 19 (FFSAug24)

[RDB]

This seemed appropriate, and I’ve been looking forward to a good smoke in calm conditions after being on a boat for a week. The sea breeze plays hell with burn and flavour.

Anyhoo…this is perfect Trinidad colour, golden claro-colorado, with what seems like a little hint of green to the gold. Good draw settles the pervasive worry with every Cuban skinny.

This opens up well, starting light, with a delicate herbal and spiced sweetness. It reminds me of those individually packed biscuits you get with coffee all over northern Europe (Speculoos). You open the little plastic packet and poof - a burst of candied cinnamon.

Good burn, just a little slow on one side requiring the occasional touch up. Fine long ash.

Tempting to smoke this too quickly. A firm puff deepens the flavour and body, darkening the flavours. Back off the throttle and it’s more herbal again. Lighter, then darker edges as you like. Such a pleasing, responsive ride.

Over an hour and a half it is just great. The sweetness becomes more aniseed. A little hint of white pepper comes in and the body gently builds to medium. Only in the last few inches does it become a bit less special. Not bad, just more muddled and pedestrian. So I don’t smoke down to the nub, I’d rather enjoy and remember the best of this.

Super smoke. Out of all the Trinidads, I’d still pay up for a box of these, if I could find one.