Cult Classic Robusto
26 days 69f/69%rh
soft flame light
This review could also be titled, "We Ain't Afraid of The Dark." I started smoking on this stick about 2015 hours (8:15) and for some reason the big security light in our backyard was out. It made for a fitting atmosphere considering the brand name and the band art.
The initial light was pretty easy and straightforward. I rushed it a little bit and had to touch it up. Otherwise it was pretty speedy and pretty straight. It wasn't a laser, but it rivaled the Paul Stulac cigars I've smoked lately. It also produced a nice smoke of medium thickness that ran up the shaft.
The first puff was red pepper straight across the tongue. I actually winced because it burnt my sinuses. It was shocking because the first one I smoked a couple of weeks ago had a much milder opening. Last night it came out of the gate throwing flames. After the first couple of puffs the pepper backed down and cream joined the mix. I was getting a less than pleasant herbal flavor that reminded me of oregano and dry leaves.
This was about the time a neighbor stopped by to talk. He is a retired detective and likes to think he is still on the job. Anyway, as I puffed away he asked me if I was smoking a blunt. In his words it smelled like cheap home grown marijuana. That was about the taste I was getting. Mix in some pepper and a creamy consistency and that was the flavor profile. Honestly, I was shocked. The one I smoked about three weeks ago had a ton more flavor.
The char line was getting wavy. That was mainly because the wind picked up a little bit. Otherwise the construction was fine and dandy. The ash was holding on tight and had minimal flaking.
The flavor profile picked up with some earth. It was a mineral tinged earth flavor that went well with the pepper and cream. Unfortunately the cheap herb flavor kept creeping in and out. It tended to creep in with any puff under fifty seconds. This cigar wanted a nice slow rhythm. Unfortunately it rewarded anything over seventy seconds by nearly going out. I finally settled on a steady sixty second pace. That killed most of the less satisfactory flavors.
Mainly earth, wood, cream, spice at this point. There is some flavor that reminds me of autumn leaves that pops in for a couple of puffs. It actually brings some life into a blend that was starting to flag and fail. The flavors were dialing back to a point that was perplexing. This stick tasted nothing like the first one I smoked.
Also, the construction took a turn for the worse. When the band came off the wrapper pulled up along the seam. I literally had wrapper flapping in the breeze. It is hard to tell in that horrible picture, but that whole seam near my thumb had lifted.
The wrapper is self destructing at this point. One seam is flapping in the breeze and on the opposite side the wrapper is exploding along a vein. A vampire's dream.
The weird thing is the flavor hits it's highest marks. The earth develops some depth. The wood is getting some body. I'm seeing tree stumps and big hunks of fire wood. The spice comes back after a not so well deserved vacation. Plus, there is a citrus like zing here and there. The herbal flavor came back and then transitioned to a cilantro like taste. That was the citrus zing.
We have coco and buttery cream. Nope now they're gone again. We're back to earth, wood, leather, cream, and dry cheap herbal flavor. I give it four or five more puffs and call it a night. The wrapper was exploding and my palate was feeling like it had been raped at this point. The cheap herbal flavor and taste of leaves had just beat it down. This was nothing like the cigar I smoked before. I don't know if the temperature drop we experienced when we lost power had a weird effect on my sticks, or if this is some sort of sick period for the cigar. I doubt it is the first scenario. My Paul Stulac Lords have been amazing. I haven't had a bad experience with any of my other smokes since the snow came through.
I don't have a clue what happened here. The first Cult robusto I smoked just days after purchase was pretty darn good. It was a bonafide flavor bomb. It had a myriad of rich vibrant flavors. This stick felt like smoking a slightly more flavorful pharmacy cigar at times. I actually hated typing that line. I went in to this ready to give a great review and recommend a fiver. The first one I smoked was cream, pepper, graham cracker, citrus zest, earth, SPICE, and just a really pleasant experience. This stick had none of those qualities in the same quantity and in fact added a few unpleasant flavors that I still taste this morning.
I really don't know how to finish this off. The two experiences were so different that I don't know what to say. If you decide to try a Cult classic I can only recommend grabbing one from the B&M and either smoking it there or within the week.
26 days 69f/69%rh
soft flame light
This review could also be titled, "We Ain't Afraid of The Dark." I started smoking on this stick about 2015 hours (8:15) and for some reason the big security light in our backyard was out. It made for a fitting atmosphere considering the brand name and the band art.
The initial light was pretty easy and straightforward. I rushed it a little bit and had to touch it up. Otherwise it was pretty speedy and pretty straight. It wasn't a laser, but it rivaled the Paul Stulac cigars I've smoked lately. It also produced a nice smoke of medium thickness that ran up the shaft.
The first puff was red pepper straight across the tongue. I actually winced because it burnt my sinuses. It was shocking because the first one I smoked a couple of weeks ago had a much milder opening. Last night it came out of the gate throwing flames. After the first couple of puffs the pepper backed down and cream joined the mix. I was getting a less than pleasant herbal flavor that reminded me of oregano and dry leaves.
This was about the time a neighbor stopped by to talk. He is a retired detective and likes to think he is still on the job. Anyway, as I puffed away he asked me if I was smoking a blunt. In his words it smelled like cheap home grown marijuana. That was about the taste I was getting. Mix in some pepper and a creamy consistency and that was the flavor profile. Honestly, I was shocked. The one I smoked about three weeks ago had a ton more flavor.
The char line was getting wavy. That was mainly because the wind picked up a little bit. Otherwise the construction was fine and dandy. The ash was holding on tight and had minimal flaking.
The flavor profile picked up with some earth. It was a mineral tinged earth flavor that went well with the pepper and cream. Unfortunately the cheap herb flavor kept creeping in and out. It tended to creep in with any puff under fifty seconds. This cigar wanted a nice slow rhythm. Unfortunately it rewarded anything over seventy seconds by nearly going out. I finally settled on a steady sixty second pace. That killed most of the less satisfactory flavors.
Mainly earth, wood, cream, spice at this point. There is some flavor that reminds me of autumn leaves that pops in for a couple of puffs. It actually brings some life into a blend that was starting to flag and fail. The flavors were dialing back to a point that was perplexing. This stick tasted nothing like the first one I smoked.
Also, the construction took a turn for the worse. When the band came off the wrapper pulled up along the seam. I literally had wrapper flapping in the breeze. It is hard to tell in that horrible picture, but that whole seam near my thumb had lifted.
The wrapper is self destructing at this point. One seam is flapping in the breeze and on the opposite side the wrapper is exploding along a vein. A vampire's dream.
The weird thing is the flavor hits it's highest marks. The earth develops some depth. The wood is getting some body. I'm seeing tree stumps and big hunks of fire wood. The spice comes back after a not so well deserved vacation. Plus, there is a citrus like zing here and there. The herbal flavor came back and then transitioned to a cilantro like taste. That was the citrus zing.
We have coco and buttery cream. Nope now they're gone again. We're back to earth, wood, leather, cream, and dry cheap herbal flavor. I give it four or five more puffs and call it a night. The wrapper was exploding and my palate was feeling like it had been raped at this point. The cheap herbal flavor and taste of leaves had just beat it down. This was nothing like the cigar I smoked before. I don't know if the temperature drop we experienced when we lost power had a weird effect on my sticks, or if this is some sort of sick period for the cigar. I doubt it is the first scenario. My Paul Stulac Lords have been amazing. I haven't had a bad experience with any of my other smokes since the snow came through.
I don't have a clue what happened here. The first Cult robusto I smoked just days after purchase was pretty darn good. It was a bonafide flavor bomb. It had a myriad of rich vibrant flavors. This stick felt like smoking a slightly more flavorful pharmacy cigar at times. I actually hated typing that line. I went in to this ready to give a great review and recommend a fiver. The first one I smoked was cream, pepper, graham cracker, citrus zest, earth, SPICE, and just a really pleasant experience. This stick had none of those qualities in the same quantity and in fact added a few unpleasant flavors that I still taste this morning.
I really don't know how to finish this off. The two experiences were so different that I don't know what to say. If you decide to try a Cult classic I can only recommend grabbing one from the B&M and either smoking it there or within the week.
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