Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the rectangle pressed Gellis Absolutos Corona Gorda is light brown and carries some lightly raised veins. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. The band is gold, green and black and carries the brand logo and name. The aromas from the cigar are pretty mellow, with the wrapper bringing a mix of cedar and earth while the foot brings a mix of cedar and bread. The pre-light draw brings a very airy cedar.

First Third

The cigar begins with toasted cedar, a mix of black pepper and baking spice and some earth. The retrohale is toasted cedar, zingy black pepper and light earth. At an inch in, the black pepper is exhibiting a very long finish. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is a bit ahead of the black pepper/baking spice combination, with earth just behind the middle of the profile. The strength was right at medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the black pepper mellows a bit and the baking spice portion is now quite mellow. At a half inch in, a walnut note joins the middle of the profile. The retrohale is now toasted cedar and earth with mild black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper picks back up. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the black pepper with mellow baking spice. Walnut in the middle of the profile and earth just a bit further back. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, some wood bitterness becomes present. At a quarter inch in, a light creaminess joins the profile. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, lightly zingy black pepper and some earth and creaminess. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the black pepper with bit of baking spice, walnut in the middle of the profile and some earth, creaminess and wood bitterness in the back half of the profile. The strength remained at slightly above medium.

Burn

The burn was straight throughout and the ash held on in inch and a quarter increments. The cigar did burn a bit fast though.

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar began with toasted cedar, a mix of black pepper and baking spice and some earth. The second third saw the black pepper mellow a bit and the baking spice became pretty light. A walnut note joined in and then the black pepper picked back up. The final third saw some wood bitterness and creaminess join in. Construction was absolutely perfect. 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.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$2.26

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Gellis Absolutos Corona Gorda