First impressions: The cigar’s appearance is beautiful to me. A borderline black (dark, DARK brown) appearance with a beautiful black and gold band. This stick certainly stands out visually. This cigar is full of earthy, bready, hay flavors. There’s not much sweetness, but rather alternating flavors that makes you feel like you just finished chewing a plain slice of pumpernickel bread.
Halfway through: I get more flavors of cedar, oak, and an imagined flavor I’d describe as what I think a fireplace log that just finished burning would taste like. You definitely start to get pepper from this cigar. It’s a forward flavor and one I don’t mind mixed with the dry flavors that are also present.
The final third: The cigar starts to develop cashew and peanut flavors. The pepper is still present. I’m getting hints of saltine crackers that were sprinkled with rye grains. I still get oak and tree bark scents and flavors. The pepper helps kick this up a notch.
Overall: An interesting blend from Micallef. I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it. The dry, doughy, bready, woodsy flavors were interesting but not something I see myself wanting to keep coming back to. I did appreciate the medium to full strength, and the construction of the cigar, even though it did require one re-light.
Pass or Smoke? Borderline smoke. I’d recommend buying a single just to say you tried it and see how you feel about the flavors. But there are definitely better options out there.
