Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is light brown and the slightly raised veins have a lighter shade of brown surrounding them. The seams are very smooth and hardly visible outside of seeing some vein mismatches. The head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. The band is a cream color with a crown outline in burgandy with a series of black numbers across it at an angle. The back of the band denotes 1988 and has the brand owners initials. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of wood and leather while the foot brings a similar profile that is slightly more wood focused. The pre-light draw brings a creamy leather component with a medium level spiciness to my lips.

First Third

The cigar begins with a very full spicy cedar note. At a quarter inch in, a slight creaminess joins in which causes the spicy cedar to mellow a bit. At an inch in, the cream has increased to just slightly behind the spicy cedar. The retrohale is a fuller version of the spicy cedar with a faint creaminess. At an inch and a quarter, a dry earthiness joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the spicy cedar is slightly ahead of the cream and dry earthiness. The strength in this third was mild-medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the spicy cedar, cream and dry earthiness are all at equal levels creating a nice profile depth. At three quarters of an inch in, a mustiness joins in. At an inch and a quarter, the cream, dry earthiness and mustiness are at equal levels up front while the spicy cedar is in the background. The retrohale is a complete reverse with the spicy cedar up front. As the third comes to a close, the cedar loses the spiciness and gains some char and moves up to the front. In the background, the cream has dropped out and the mustiness and dry earth remain. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly below medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the charred cedar is slightly ahead of the mustiness and dry earth. At three quarters of an inch in, the cigar warms up a bit, bringing a toast note to the charred cedar while the mustiness and dry earth remain in the background. The retrohale shows a bright cedar note ahead of some mustiness. As the cigar comes to a close, the toasted and slightly charred cedar remains up front with the mustiness and dry earth in the background, The strength in this third bumped up to medium.

Burn

The burn line was slightly wavy throughout, but always kept up with itself. The cigar did go out once in the first third requiring a re-light. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The flavor profile was centered around spicy cedar to start as some cream joined in. Later, some dry earth and mustiness became present. Other than a re-light in the first third, construction was pretty good. Strength built up from mild-medium to medium as the cigar progressed. Overall, the Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 was pretty average and dropped down in enjoyment as it went along. If you’re a fan of Warped or like cedar in your cigars, it’s worth a try. For me, I’ll be in no hurry to revisit it, but would smoke it if one was handed to me.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.57

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988