Pre-light Experience

The J.C. Newman Yagua 2021 has a unique pressed shape due to where it was placed in the bundle. The wrapper is dark brown with some lightly raised veins and fine tooth. The seams are a bit raised and so are the edges of the caps. The band is red, gold and white and denotes the line name. The aroma from the wrapper is lightly damp earth and wood while the foot brings wood, tobacco sweetness and mild spice. The pre-light draw brings cedar and stone fruit sweetness along with a mild spiciness on my lips.

First Third

The cigar begins with oak and earth along with a mild black pepper. At half an inch in, the oak gains a light toast while the black pepper picks up a bit. The retrohale is toasted oak and earth with black pepper a bit behind. At an inch in, a light mustiness joins the profile. The third wraps up with toasted oak and earth up front with mustiness and black pepper a bit behind. The strength was right at medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the mustiness is now paired up with the toasted oak and the overall profile is now a bit dry. The retrohale is now musty, toasted oak, dry earth and mild black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper is pretty mild. As the third wraps up, the profile is musty, toasted oak and dry earth up front with mild black pepper in the background. The strength remains at medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the toast level becomes pretty heavy. The retrohale remains musty, toasted oak, dry earth and mild black pepper. As the cigar wraps up, the profile is musty, heavily toasted oak and dry earth with black pepper in the background. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.

Burn

The burn was a bit wavy throughout and the cigar went out once, requiring a re-light. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Draw

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

Overall

The cigar began with oak, earth and mild black pepper. A toast note and mustiness joined a bit later. The second third saw the profile become a bit dry and the final third saw the toast level become pretty heavy. Overall, the J.C. Newman Yagua 2021 was pretty on par in regards to the enjoyment level as the original release, The flavor profile was a bit different, lacking the sweetness of the original, but still an enjoyable one. The price point is very attractive and I’d be up for coming back to this from time to time.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.90

Cost/Point

$1.27

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: J.C. Newman Yagua 2021