avantgrade purchased this cigar on 2009-12-20.
It has 4.5 months of additional aging.
The cigar lit up very easily, and this little joy of a robusto opened up. Lot's of peppery, woodsy flavors coming through right after the lighting. However, there is some bitterness as the flavors turn earthy, almost musty and wet. Frankly, I was worried that if this is what the experience is going to be, I will most likely have to put the cigar down.
Luckily within a few minutes or so, the wet earth flavors disappear and settle into a woody, nutty and slightly creamy experience. The nutty notes remind of hazelnut and almond, blending nicely with the slightly creamy background. A Honduran-style array of peppery bursts appear every so often, adding additional complexity to the mixture. The cigar draws easily, providing a thick plume of smoke for the palate to savor. As for the silver and white ash, it is holding strong for at least two inches.
The creaminess of the background comes through a lot more than it did in the first 1/3, complemented by a rise in flavors of toast and bread. It is a fairly gentle combination, as pepper notes stay fairly subdued and the body is only slightly above mild (if that!). The cigar, though, is not lacking flavor one bit. It has plenty to offer throughout, and that becomes even more evident in the final 1/3.
As the cigar approaches its final 1/3, the aroma from the smoke intensifies, and the palate is drenched with nuts, wood, toast, and little bit of leather. Seeing how the cigar had opened up, I did not expect it to become this good. The burn has been razor sharp throughout, with the ash holding for at least 2 inches before having to drop. The draw remained consistently easy, offering up plenty of smoke for the palate to feast on. I burned this Gold robusto down to the very nub, where I could feel the line of fire next to my lips. Without a doubt, I'll pick up more of these in the future.