The Powstanie Connecticut Justice had a nice start, with a good combination of flavors. It took a step down in the second third as the hay increased and pepper mellowed and remained at that level the rest of the way. This cigar was right on par with the Toro we reviewed previously. It's not a cigar I'd really see returning to, but those that like a slightly stronger Connecticut shade, it might fit the bill.
Although the overall experience was average, I need to hand it to La Aurora for providing a fantastic first third experience. In infused/non-traditional cigars like this, I typically find the infusion to be too strong or too meek. But the Outcast Corona Gorda struck the perfect mix of tasting the infusion and bringing in the traditional flavors. I just wish it could have maintained it for the majority of the smoke.
This Cavalier Genève Project Broadleaf Skywalker is a great introduction to the broadleaf project. Although not the conventional style of broadleaf, the flavor profile presented works well, having a heavier hand towards spice and hay/grass with a good backbone of sweet creaminess. I look forward to the broadleaf aging more and especially hope to see more body, increased sweet creaminess, as well as maintaining the spice and hay/grassiness. But the blend and age as is, is definitely a keeper.
This is the Klaas that I know and enjoy. A flavor profile that is complex and keeps you engaged with every draw. The medium-full strength is also nice because it's complimentary to the flavor profile, not stronger for the sake of being stronger. I'll gladly have more of these Avowed The Vow 7.05 Corona Gorda.
The Stoic Moderation had a nice flavor profile through the first two thirds, with the unique mustiness and a plethora of other flavor components. It took a step down in the final third as the mustiness lost its uniqueness and was a bit more cedar and earth driven. I’d be up for coming back to this cigar and also interested in trying the other vitolas in the line to see what they deliver.
The Gellis Absolutos Corona Gorda had an average flavor profile throughout, focused around the toasted cedar and black pepper. The walnut note was nice, but couldn't push through the core components to elevate the profile. If you're a toasted cedar and black pepper fan, this would be a good cigar to try, but the balance just wasn't there to want to make me come back to this one.
The Ceniza Fina Corojo Corona Gorda had a nice start, with a smooth profile. As the earth took the lead in the profile the enjoyment dropped a level and maintained that level the rest of the way. Overall, just a pretty average experience with the earth and oak focused profile. The supporting notes were fairly average as well and I wouldn't see this as something I'd be in a hurry to return to.
The La Flor Dominicana Coronado Corona Especial is a very good cigar that delivers a rich tobacco experience with enough complexity to keep you interested. This cigar has enough punch, but it won't overpower you. The Corona Especial size is an excellent size for this blend. In a lot of ways, it's quintessential, classic La Flor Dominicana. It's a cigar and blend that's overlooked, and it's one I plan on revisiting more in the future.
The Caldwell Long Live The Queen Maduro Queen’s Crest is a nice corona gorda and maduro offering. There’s some transitioning throughout, and it has a sweet spice and rich core flavor profile. Nice Mexican offering. It is a medium-full cigar that smokes cool from beginning to end. I would definitely come back to this again and would try other vitolas as well.
The Southern Draw Decennium started out with some interesting and medium-full bodied flavor combinations through the first third. As the cigar progressed, the flavor profile remained pleasant and consistently over the medium mark, but it wasn't as engaging for me as the start. It's difficult to determine whether the draw performance impacted the overall flavor performance, but I think I'd want to revisit the cigar to see if a Decennium with a good draw imparted more complex flavors for the final two thirds.