Live from Hawaii review: 2006 Santos Custom Roll Robusto
After a nice workout and breakfast, it was time to fire up my first cigar in Hawaii. *Found a great bench by the beach. *Waves lightly crashing in the background. *Just enough wind to keep me cool while I suntan and enjoy this cigar.
The 2006 Santos Custom robusto has a nice light colorado wrapper with little viens. *A whiff of the wrapper reminds me of the Kona expresso that I had earlier this morning. *The aroma is very powerful, almost entoxicating. *Can't wait to light this up.
Crisantos Cardenas aka Santos is the house roller at the LCDH at the Hotel Commodoro in Miramar, Cuba. *He is know for his well made, mucho fuerte cigars. *I've been told he used to roll for FIdel however, need to confirm this with him next time I am in Cuba.
*
The foot is nicely packed. *A little squeeze reveals little give. *IT is firm throughout the cigar. *The wrapper is smooth to the touch, almost silky. *
Cold draw reveals a little woodiness; reminds me of smoked hickory with a hint of dark cholocate.
A quick punch and we are ready to light it up.
We start off with a blast of bitter chocolate, almost amonia like. *No, definately bitter chocolate, like Baker's chocolate. *Very woody. *Reminds me of a hoyo De Monterray. *Pepper enters the fray in droves. *Not sure if I am going to like this one. *The waves off the ocean reflect the cigar as they come crashing inland. *
The cigar itself is such an easy draw. *No resistance at all. *I taste soap? *Palmolive soap and bitter chocolate. *I figured that 6 years in the humidor would have settled this down however, could definately use more time sleeping. * The cigar is almost too harsh for my liking as I work through the first third. *Maybe this is still in its sick phase?
hints of expresso beans keep popping in and out. Like it is playing peek a boo behind the bitter chocolate. *The initial power has settled down or I have gotten used to the cigar. *
The ash is whitish grey and holding up nicely, despite the wind fromthe ocean picking up.
Expresso has come to the forefront. *The bitter chocolate has subsided and a light flavour of cedar comes around. *The aftertaste of the cigar is a little shorter than I expected. *Can't shake that soapy taste.
The cigar has come together now. Seems that the flavours are more in harmony. *A nice balance of bitter chocolate, expresso and cedar. No soapiness. Thank goodness as I debated to pitch it earlier. *Maybe this was blended to punch you in the face first and then say sorry. *A hint of roasted nuts are starting to come out. *
In the final third, the bitter chocolate has died down and there is flashes of sweetness. *Like putting sugar in your expresso. *Very nice. *Almost like a latte. *The burn is starting to get wonky.*
Overall, a very surprising cigar. *The brutishness of the first third almost made me give up hope on this cigar. *It came out swinging and then got punch drunk and settled down. *The remaining cigars that I have will be pushed to the back of the humidor when I get home.
After a nice workout and breakfast, it was time to fire up my first cigar in Hawaii. *Found a great bench by the beach. *Waves lightly crashing in the background. *Just enough wind to keep me cool while I suntan and enjoy this cigar.
The 2006 Santos Custom robusto has a nice light colorado wrapper with little viens. *A whiff of the wrapper reminds me of the Kona expresso that I had earlier this morning. *The aroma is very powerful, almost entoxicating. *Can't wait to light this up.
Crisantos Cardenas aka Santos is the house roller at the LCDH at the Hotel Commodoro in Miramar, Cuba. *He is know for his well made, mucho fuerte cigars. *I've been told he used to roll for FIdel however, need to confirm this with him next time I am in Cuba.
*
The foot is nicely packed. *A little squeeze reveals little give. *IT is firm throughout the cigar. *The wrapper is smooth to the touch, almost silky. *
Cold draw reveals a little woodiness; reminds me of smoked hickory with a hint of dark cholocate.
A quick punch and we are ready to light it up.
We start off with a blast of bitter chocolate, almost amonia like. *No, definately bitter chocolate, like Baker's chocolate. *Very woody. *Reminds me of a hoyo De Monterray. *Pepper enters the fray in droves. *Not sure if I am going to like this one. *The waves off the ocean reflect the cigar as they come crashing inland. *
The cigar itself is such an easy draw. *No resistance at all. *I taste soap? *Palmolive soap and bitter chocolate. *I figured that 6 years in the humidor would have settled this down however, could definately use more time sleeping. * The cigar is almost too harsh for my liking as I work through the first third. *Maybe this is still in its sick phase?
hints of expresso beans keep popping in and out. Like it is playing peek a boo behind the bitter chocolate. *The initial power has settled down or I have gotten used to the cigar. *
The ash is whitish grey and holding up nicely, despite the wind fromthe ocean picking up.
Expresso has come to the forefront. *The bitter chocolate has subsided and a light flavour of cedar comes around. *The aftertaste of the cigar is a little shorter than I expected. *Can't shake that soapy taste.
The cigar has come together now. Seems that the flavours are more in harmony. *A nice balance of bitter chocolate, expresso and cedar. No soapiness. Thank goodness as I debated to pitch it earlier. *Maybe this was blended to punch you in the face first and then say sorry. *A hint of roasted nuts are starting to come out. *
In the final third, the bitter chocolate has died down and there is flashes of sweetness. *Like putting sugar in your expresso. *Very nice. *Almost like a latte. *The burn is starting to get wonky.*
Overall, a very surprising cigar. *The brutishness of the first third almost made me give up hope on this cigar. *It came out swinging and then got punch drunk and settled down. *The remaining cigars that I have will be pushed to the back of the humidor when I get home.
