Time for another Cuban! This stick beckoned to me from the case today. A 50 ring, 5 1/2" cigar, it's really not as dark as the photo would lead you to believe. In fact, the photo really doesn't do it justice. The somewhat toothy wrapper has some visible veins, and is about the same color as a good Connecticut wrapper.
It feels slightly oily, a testament to the good care it has had. My brother from BOTL (you know who you are) tells me it's a 2001 vintage stick. It's in obviously good condition, besides showing some serious flat sides from "box compression".
The pre-light aroma is sweet and delicate, with hints of nut and berry. It's absorbed very little cedar scent from my humidor. The wrapper has a creamy, slightly peppery taste to the tongue.
Lights and draws VERY easily, producing copious amounts of smoke right from the start, and quickly asserts itself with medium-bodied, complex flavor. I can smell cedar in the smoke, and it has a peppery flavor with shades of nut, chocolate and berries.
The burn is slow, smooth and evenly consistent, producing a hard, dark grey, almost black ash. The clipped end shows no tendency to unwrap.
This is one you want to savor slowly, as it has a tendency to rapidly heat up and become a bit bitter if smoked too quickly. I was able to lay it down for periods as long as a minute or so with no danger of it going out.
The flavor continues to develop as you smoke, staying very solidly in the medium to medium-full bodied range. It doesn't become overpowering, but it does assert itself. After the first inch or so, it developed an oak flavor, similar to the aftertaste of a really fine champagne, along with the spiciness. The La Fuerza would be well-complemented with a good cognac or brandy.
I priced them on the web even though I can't legally have them shipped here, and the best price I found was 218 Euros a box, which would make them around $11-$12 apiece in US currency. And believe me, if I could buy them locally for that price, I'd have a handful of them tucked away.
This review, with photos, appears on my blog as well.
It feels slightly oily, a testament to the good care it has had. My brother from BOTL (you know who you are) tells me it's a 2001 vintage stick. It's in obviously good condition, besides showing some serious flat sides from "box compression".
The pre-light aroma is sweet and delicate, with hints of nut and berry. It's absorbed very little cedar scent from my humidor. The wrapper has a creamy, slightly peppery taste to the tongue.
Lights and draws VERY easily, producing copious amounts of smoke right from the start, and quickly asserts itself with medium-bodied, complex flavor. I can smell cedar in the smoke, and it has a peppery flavor with shades of nut, chocolate and berries.
The burn is slow, smooth and evenly consistent, producing a hard, dark grey, almost black ash. The clipped end shows no tendency to unwrap.
This is one you want to savor slowly, as it has a tendency to rapidly heat up and become a bit bitter if smoked too quickly. I was able to lay it down for periods as long as a minute or so with no danger of it going out.
The flavor continues to develop as you smoke, staying very solidly in the medium to medium-full bodied range. It doesn't become overpowering, but it does assert itself. After the first inch or so, it developed an oak flavor, similar to the aftertaste of a really fine champagne, along with the spiciness. The La Fuerza would be well-complemented with a good cognac or brandy.
I priced them on the web even though I can't legally have them shipped here, and the best price I found was 218 Euros a box, which would make them around $11-$12 apiece in US currency. And believe me, if I could buy them locally for that price, I'd have a handful of them tucked away.
This review, with photos, appears on my blog as well.
