Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is light brown with a couple of slightly raised veins running down one side of the cigar. The seams are nearly invisible and the head is finished off with a very well applied triple cap. The cigar carries the traditional company band while there is a strip band underneath that displays the line name. The aroma from the wrapper is primarily hay with a slight damp note to it. The foot brings a very faint wood note. The pre-light draw is a mix of wood and cinnamon with a medium level spicy tingle on my lips.

First Third

The cigar starts out with toasted wood and a combination of cinnamon and black pepper. At a half inch in, the finish is a fairly heavy black pepper while the cinnamon is a faint note right at the end of each draw. At an inch in, some creams joins the toasted wood while the cinnamon has left and the black pepper has mellowed on the finish. The retrohale carries a bit of heat to it along with the toasted wood note. At an inch and three quarters, a musty note joins the mixture of toasted wood and cream. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Second Third

The second third begins with the creamy and musty toasted wood. There is a faint black pepper that has returned to the background. At a half inch in, the retrohale has lost the heat and carries the same flavor profile as the mouth draws. At an inch in, a slight sweetness and slight bitterness join the profile of wood, cream and mustiness. At an inch and a half, the profile has pared down to a musty wood with a slight amount of bitterness. The strength in this third remained at slightly above medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the bitterness has dropped out and the profile is a musty wood note that is slightly drying. At a half inch in, a bready note joins the profile. At an inch in, the profile is fairly mellow with the musty wood and bready notes. This is the profile the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third dropped down to be right at medium.

Burn

The burn was wavy throughout and required a couple of touch-ups to keep the burn straight. The ash held on in one inch increments.

Draw

The draw was slightly snug but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The cigar began with a fairly potent strength level from the combination of cinnamon and black pepper. That subsided after about a half inch while the toasted wood was the primary player throughout the cigar. Some cream and mustiness joined in to run through the end of the second third and then the profile was just centered around the wood in the final third. Construction was a bit lacking, but nothing too severe. The price point on this cigar is a bit high and I’d probably go for one of the other sizes like the Toro or Corona Gorda. Overall, it was a fairly average experience and not something I’d be in a hurry to revisit.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$2.35

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Cornelius & Anthony Cornelius Lonsdale