The Henry Clay War Hawk Corona was a very enjoyable cigar and one of my favorite Ecuadorian Connecticut offerings this year. I love the use of the Broadleaf binder and the Honduran tobacco in the filler. The cigar has a great price and winning qualities.
The Henry Clay War Hawk Toro is a pretty good Connecticut shade offering that has a good amount of body to it. When in the mood for a Connecticut shade, I'd have no problem with considering this cigar as one to scratch that itch. The price point is nice and this cigar brings some good value with it's flavor offering.
The Providencia Trinitas delivers rich San Andres chocolate notes, with flavors of cedar, minerality and baking spices. I found the first and second thirds delivered consistent flavors with the final third being average. The burn was very good, but the draw did struggle for some time before finally opening up.
I enjoyed the first third and then the rest of the JRE Aladino Elegante was fairly average. With a cigar of this length, I was hoping for a little more in terms of the composition of the flavor profile and transitions. I'd have no problem smoking more of these, but I'd probably lean towards a vitola in the line with a shorter length and larger ring gauge.
In the instance of the La Palina Bronze Label Robusto, I was surprised especially by the minerals. In general, the flavors of minerals, dry red peppers, natural sweet creaminess off dried nuts was range I didn't expect and worked well. The only let down was the subpar burn in which I hope it is a one off situation. I'll gladly smoke it again even if I have to fight the burn.
In terms of what I think about the Alec Bradley Medalist Toro, the profile was a good representation on a less heavy smoking experience with notes of pencil lead minerality, cedar, bread/toast and slightly over charred coffee. This is worth a shot, especially at the low price of $6.50 MSRP per cigar.
The Providencia Hostage delivered a bold and at times, medium plus flavor experience that I found enjoyable. With notes of cedar, baking spices, leather, chocolate, earth, minerality and sweetness, there is a lot going on.
The Alec Bradley Magic Toast Robusto brings the spiciness of the Black Market with nuances and flavor complexity that last all the way to the nub. Once the initial spice intensity fades, the cigar establishes a sweet and chocolate profile.
This is no doubt quality Honduran Corojo. I enjoyed the slick and oiliness of the profile a lot with the minerals, baking spices, non-sweetened cream and nuts. I would smoke the JRE Aladino Corojo Reserva Robusto again without a doubt.
The profile on the Blind Faith by Alec & Bradley Robusto is more nuanced and subtle than many other offerings from their portfolio. The blend seems focused on sweetness, chocolate and cedar, leaving the spices and pepper to serve as accent notes. The strength was largely medium throughout with the flavors approaching medium-full at times.