Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the J.C. Newman Havana Q Double Toro is medium brown and has some darker freckles along with a fine tooth to it. There is a network of lightly raised veins and the seams are slightly raised in some areas. The head is finished with a well applied double cap. The band is red, gold and off-white and has the brand name on the front and the Quorum logo on the back. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of wood and light, dry earth. The foot brings a mix of musty cedar and wheat bread. The pre-light draw consists of wood and spearmint, the latter of which I can’t say I remember getting from a cigar before.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mellow profile of very aged wood and faint spearmint. At a quarter inch in, a light chalkiness replaces the spearmint. The retrohale is chalky wood. At an inch and a half in, the profile is still aged wood and light chalkiness. The strength in this third was mild.

Second Third

The second third continues on with the aged wood and light chalkiness. At an inch in, the aged wood gains a toast note. The retrohale is a mirror image, showing toasted aged wood and light chalkiness. At an inch and a quarter, some mustiness joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the toast level has become pretty heavy. The strength in this third has bumped up to mild-medium.

Final Third

The final third continues with heavily toasted wood, mustiness and light chalkiness. Overall, the profile is now a bit dry. The retrohale is lightly toasted wood and mustiness. As the cigar wraps up, a light bitterness joins the profile of heavily toasted wood and mustiness. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly below medium.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy throughout and the cigar went out twice, requiring re-lights. The ash held on through the halfway point for the first re-light and then again until the final third for the second re-light.

Draw

The draw was odd as it started tight, then became loose and then went tight again. There was also a low amount of smoke production until the halfway point when the first re-light occurred.

Overall

The cigar began quite mellow in regards to the flavor components and fullness of flavors. It picked up after the first re-light as the toast joined and then became quite heavy. Construction was a bit of a letdown, so I’m curious if this is a one off or consistent across cigars. For a bundle cigar, the J.C. Newman Havana Q Double Toro is serviceable, but it’s not really the profile I prefer and I wouldn’t see myself coming back to this unless I just wanted to light something up while doing something else.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

3.93

Cost/Point

$0.72

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: J.C. Newman Havana Q Double Toro