Граф Орлов
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The week of cigar orgies continues. Today, a once very famous and iconic, but now perhaps past its prime, Nicaraguan puro will be reviewed:
Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic
Format: Robusto
Length: 127 mm x RG 50
Wrapper: Colorado Claro, velvety, with aromas of a barnyard, flowers, and honey. The color is quite uneven. On the lips, it gives a slight leathery-nutty taste, barely noticeable.
The start is very unceremonious: the cigar is strong, "prickly," even somewhat uncomfortable to smoke. A strong spicy profile, anise, graphite, and musk. At the same time, the smoker perceives the aroma as quite mild, spicy-woody, but I'll say in advance that the lingering smell in the apartment from three of these cigars smoked on the balcony lasts for more than a day, and the smell is something between a barn and a tannery. If you want to drive your roommates out of the apartment, this is your chance.
By the beginning of the second third, the cigar softens noticeably. The taste remains spicy, but a slight sweetness of baked goods and honey appears in it, along with a little dried meat and light-roast coffee. The smoker is immersed in the sweetness of the aromas of almonds and baked goods, created by the dense smoke of the cigar. It's already very good – I wonder what else the cigar will surprise me with.
In the last third, the cigar changes significantly: the spicy theme is still noticeable, but it no longer dominates. The taste has strong animal and smoky notes, a noticeable sweetness of molasses, vanilla, peanuts, and chocolate. Closer to the very end, the flavors of legumes and vegetables become noticeable, and I have already begun to doubt the possibility of their existence in the context of cigar flavors. The taste is very mild with a quite serious strength.
In the end, it's a very good strength, excellent taste dynamics – from the spiciness, boldness, and anger that slightly disconcerted me at the start, to a very full, rich, and mild taste in the finale. A shock cigar, a festive cigar, bright and memorable. It shows the smoker one mask after another, sometimes repelling and as if testing the smoker's resilience, and then, on the contrary, charming so obligingly that you won't want to part with it. But whether it is truly "evil" or "kind" is up to each person to decide for themselves. As a big fan of strong and rich cigars, I declare: definitely kind! But even though you put the cigar in the ashtray with a feeling of regret, it's a pleasant nostalgia for the happiness that has passed, and not disappointment from a wasted encounter. Moreover, thanks to the quite decent smoking duration for its length and good strength, it does not leave a feeling of hunger – neither taste nor nicotine. I would rate the strength at about 7.5/10, and the final score will be 91/100. Very worthy.
Flavor pairings? As usual, it goes well with coffee. I tried it with "Templier" rum – not bad, but the rum is too sweet. I think cognac would be more appropriate here, maybe even Armagnac, or even Scotch – I would suggest, for example, Glen Scotia 15, Highland Park 18, maybe even "the bear." In fact, there is much to think about, but the region is definitely Highland.
Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic
Format: Robusto
Length: 127 mm x RG 50
Wrapper: Colorado Claro, velvety, with aromas of a barnyard, flowers, and honey. The color is quite uneven. On the lips, it gives a slight leathery-nutty taste, barely noticeable.
The start is very unceremonious: the cigar is strong, "prickly," even somewhat uncomfortable to smoke. A strong spicy profile, anise, graphite, and musk. At the same time, the smoker perceives the aroma as quite mild, spicy-woody, but I'll say in advance that the lingering smell in the apartment from three of these cigars smoked on the balcony lasts for more than a day, and the smell is something between a barn and a tannery. If you want to drive your roommates out of the apartment, this is your chance.
By the beginning of the second third, the cigar softens noticeably. The taste remains spicy, but a slight sweetness of baked goods and honey appears in it, along with a little dried meat and light-roast coffee. The smoker is immersed in the sweetness of the aromas of almonds and baked goods, created by the dense smoke of the cigar. It's already very good – I wonder what else the cigar will surprise me with.
In the last third, the cigar changes significantly: the spicy theme is still noticeable, but it no longer dominates. The taste has strong animal and smoky notes, a noticeable sweetness of molasses, vanilla, peanuts, and chocolate. Closer to the very end, the flavors of legumes and vegetables become noticeable, and I have already begun to doubt the possibility of their existence in the context of cigar flavors. The taste is very mild with a quite serious strength.
In the end, it's a very good strength, excellent taste dynamics – from the spiciness, boldness, and anger that slightly disconcerted me at the start, to a very full, rich, and mild taste in the finale. A shock cigar, a festive cigar, bright and memorable. It shows the smoker one mask after another, sometimes repelling and as if testing the smoker's resilience, and then, on the contrary, charming so obligingly that you won't want to part with it. But whether it is truly "evil" or "kind" is up to each person to decide for themselves. As a big fan of strong and rich cigars, I declare: definitely kind! But even though you put the cigar in the ashtray with a feeling of regret, it's a pleasant nostalgia for the happiness that has passed, and not disappointment from a wasted encounter. Moreover, thanks to the quite decent smoking duration for its length and good strength, it does not leave a feeling of hunger – neither taste nor nicotine. I would rate the strength at about 7.5/10, and the final score will be 91/100. Very worthy.
Flavor pairings? As usual, it goes well with coffee. I tried it with "Templier" rum – not bad, but the rum is too sweet. I think cognac would be more appropriate here, maybe even Armagnac, or even Scotch – I would suggest, for example, Glen Scotia 15, Highland Park 18, maybe even "the bear." In fact, there is much to think about, but the region is definitely Highland.
E si sui vius, er mi grans benananza,
e si ieu muoir, er mi grans deliuriers
e si ieu muoir, er mi grans deliuriers