A couple main thoughts on the Espinosa 10 Years Anniversary. First off, this is very familiar Espinosa territory given it's flavor profile, which is a good thing. But how is this 10 year anniversary special? The good thing is, the cigar is well priced, pretty much in line with their regular production Habano offerings. Special "anniversary" aside, I recommend this one.
Overall, the Protocol Sir Robert Peel Natural Corona Gorda was fairly average and the burn issues were a bit of a drawback. In comparison with the initial release in the Toro, I slightly preferred that vitola, but this line just doesn't do it for me and I don't see myself returning to this one.
Overall, I felt like the Protocol Paddy Wagon performed similarly to the other store exclusives from the brand. Just a basic flavor profile that wasn't all that interesting and doesn't match the level of most of the core lines. Not something I see myself returning to.
More of these TAA releases please. "These" in the sense of a good blended cigar using good tobacco. Not in the sense of collaborating with other brands per se. This Villiger TAA 2022 is all about the expected goodness of a Hector Alfonso blended cigar. Punchy, yet flavorful and balanced. Well done.
The Protocol The Law was pretty on par with the brands single store releases as it shows a nice profile to begin and then falls back to average. I might revisit this to see if a better constructed version has a better showing, but it's not high on my list to do so.
The Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Maduro Corona Gorda R offers up some fairly full strength flavors, surprisingly more intense than the Habano, which I was not expecting. I enjoyed the first and second thirds but given the intensity of the flavors, this cigar might be a bit too much for a lot of smokers. I would definitely smoke the Knuckle Sandwich Maduro again.
Overall, the Protocol Sir Robert Peel Maduro Corona Gorda was fairly average as the damp, musty wood wasn't my favorite and it was the dominant component of the profile. All in all, the cigar keeps up with the original release in the line, but still isn't something I'd see myself coming back to all that frequently.
This Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Habano Corona Gorda R is the exact wheelhouse of Espinosa that I like. Deep flavors creating a rich, sweet and spicy experience. Typically, when a product is backed by a celebrity, it's a bunch of bullshit. But not this one. If you're a fan of the typical Espinosa offerings, you will not be disappointed in this one.
Strength was definitely a focus on this cigar and for those that like fuller strength with some darker flavors, this 601 La Bomba The Wick Maduro delivers it. The burn issues that plagued the cigar is really what I'll remember, but in regards to the flavor profile, it just didn't bring enough to keep my interest.
The Protocol Bass Reeves Maduro delivered a palate intense experience in the first third that fortunately softened in the second third while still maintaining complexity and my engagement. The last third was fairly linear with a mostly wood forward profile, but overall this was a good cigar that I would happily smoke again. Having reviewed the Natural and the Maduro, I gravitate towards the Maduro and it isn't even a contest.