avantgrade purchased this cigar on 2010-10-23.
It has 1 year of additional aging.
Flavors of cedar from the prelight intensified, bringing forth a crispy dimension to the notes. There is a slight sweetness on the palate, lingering after exhale, but not as strong on the inhale. A hint of latte is apparent on the retrohale, mending nicely with the woody notes of the smoke itself.
The smoke is plentiful, becoming significantly richer towards the end of the first 1/3 cigar. It is dense and white in color, leaving behind a white and gray ash. The ash did feather out a bit on me, but still held strong for a good 2 inches, leaving behind a nice cherry, which continued the excellent burn all the way through the cigar.
Cedar notes are evolving towards nuts and even oak, reverting back and forth into the second 1/3.
30 minutes into the cigar, I feel a buttery layer coating my palate. The notes of cedar shift toward warmer, less spicy tones. The creaminess is definitely there, but not as obviously defined as some other cigars offer (such as many of the El Rey Del Mundos). It is not a major markdown for me, as the cigar is offering a unique degree of complexity for a mild to a mild/medium bodied smoke.
While upon the first few puffs the body rested easily in the mild range, I would say that it went up to mild-medium (at most) towards the end.
The warmth of the smoke, as I began to nub the cigar, really brought up pleasant nuances of coffee, cedar, oak, and a little bit of hazelnut. It was almost like sipping on a warm drink (which really worked out well for me, since I smoked this cigar outside during December in Chicago...).