avantgrade purchased this cigar on 2010-04-13.
It has 5 months of additional aging.
I have been waiting to smoke this stick for a while now, and what better time than to start out my PhD studies in biomedical engineering.
The foot caught the flame after a short toast, initiating a consistent and sharp burn for the rest of the experience. There is a good amount of sweetness coming through along with prominent notes of cinnamon and anise. The smoke is rich and has a full-bodied aroma, complementing well the lighter flavors.
I was expecting a full-bodied experience for the duration of the smoke; however, the body relaxed a bit and settled into around medium to medium-full. While the notes of cinnamon and anise begin to fade a bit, cedar and gentle tones of earth emerge. Also, the cedar nuances appear to be evolving into green tea flavors, which is definitely an interesting addition to the cigar.
The burn stays true and the smoke is dark white with wisps of gray. I do wish there was slightly more smoke as the flavors might be more intense with the additional body.
The draw of this ESG is beautiful, letting plenty of air through to carry the burn with just a touch of resistance.
Between the sweeter notes of each puff, the finish displays a certain darker spiciness with a touch of leather. This complementation of dark/light, spicy/sweet that comes with every puff is very enjoyable.
As the cigar begins to close out, it does so with a slight elevation in flavor intensity, and minimal increase in smoke temperature. Notes of cedar and green tea interplay with one another, and occasional bitter chocolate hits the palate. The finish also appears to linger on the palate longer than at the start of the cigar.
The stick held its ash fairly well, requiring a light tap to drop every 2 inches. And the ash... it's the gorgeous salt-and-pepper I look for in a good cigar.
This was worth the wait and a special occasion leaving me to wonder what other vitolas hold.