Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown and pretty rugged looking. There are a decent number of visible veins and quite a few little bumps spread across the wrapper. The seams are smooth, but fairly visible due to everything going on with the wrapper. There are three very well applied caps on the head. The band is burgundy with gold artwork and lettering and takes up about 1/3 of the cigar. The aroma from the wrapper is a faint alcohol note, similar to an alcohol pad that was left out and almost completely dried. The foot gives a pleasant floral aroma. The pre-light draw is a mix of the wrapper and foot aroma, which is a fairly nice slightly floral alcohol note.

Pre-light Experience

The Alpha Absinthe Infused Claro Robusto is rustic in nature, with some protruding veins throughout and one soft spot within the first third of the cigar. The wrapper has good oil content, leaving a slick oily feel on my fingertips. The head is finished off with a thick triple cap. The wrapper smells of dry wood and some type of alcohol that I can’t quite identify (but it is not absinthe). Nosing the wrapper gives sharp cedar and floral notes. Cold draw tells floral notes, dry wood and that alcohol note.

First Third

Initial draws are dry wood and a slight floral note. After a few draws, the dry wood becomes much less drying. At a half inch in, a slight baking spice joins the wood and floral notes. The retrohale is woody with baking spice that gives a nice zing through my nose. As the third comes to a close, not much in the way of transitions as it’s still wood, floral and slight baking spices. The strength in this third was just below medium.

First Third

From first draw, flavors of generic dry wood, floral notes, baking spices and anise. The retrohale consists of dry wood and a unique refreshing mintiness. The finish lingers fairly long with dry wood, baking spice and a minty zing. Strength and body is medium the entire first third.

Second Third

As the third begins, the wood, floral and baking spice continues. The retrohale keeps up the zing with the baking spice. At three quarters of an inch in, the baking spice leaves the profile while the wood and floral notes remain. The baking spice also leaves the retrohale. This is the profile the third finishes with. The strength in this third was right below medium.

Second Third

The second third is pretty similar to the first third. Still notes of generic dry wood, floral notes, baking spices and anise. The baking spice note drops an inch into the second third. The retrohale still maintains the dry wood but loses out on the mint. The finish now consists of dry wood and minty zing. Body and strength is still at the medium levels.

Final Third

As the final third begins, it continues with the wood and floral note. At a half inch in, the wood gains a slight char. The retrohale carries the wood and floral notes. Not much in the way of transitions as the slightly charred wood and floral notes continue to the end of the cigar. The strength in the final third was right at medium.

Final Third

The last third for the most part mimics the second third except for the generic dry wood is now a slightly charred and bitter wood. The mouth draw flavors still consists of floral notes, baking spices and anise. The retrohale is still centered around namely dry wood. The finish is of a faintly charred and bitter wood and that same refreshing mint. Body and strength finishes off at medium.

Burn

The burn was absolutely perfect. Razor sharp the entire way and the ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Burn

The burn was very good. Only complaint is a slight wave to the burn line. Aside from that, solid ash marks averaging 1.5 inch increments. The entire smoking experience was not affected by the soft spot felt within the pre-light experience.

Draw

The draw was just slightly tighter than I prefer, but not really a complaint, just a preference.

Overall

Other than the pre-light aromas, not much to signify that this is an infused cigar unless the infusing is what imparted the floral note into the smoking profile. The flavor profile was pretty one dimensional primarily being woody and floral with some baking spices mixed in for some of the time. The burn and draw were pretty spot on which made for an experience to focus solely on flavor. There is nothing to really say that was bad about the cigar other than the flavors were mellow and linear, which again, isn’t much of a knock against it. Anyone could smoke and enjoy this cigar and I would tell people that dislike infused cigars, not to hold that against this one and to give it a try.

Draw

The draw, although slightly tight for my liking, was still very good. No real complaints on this.

Overall

The absinthe version of the Alpha, to me, came through in the form of anise and mint. It was thankfully subtle and by no means overbearing as absinthe in itself can be. The profile was fairly linear without much transitions or complexities. But for the uniqueness of the cigar, I would give it another try, which says a lot because I’m not a fan of absinthe.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.80

Cost/Point

$1.50

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.67

Cost/Point

$1.54

Scoring System

Contest

We are going to make this a pretty simple contest. There are two ways to enter. One way to enter is to share this review out on Facebook and tag Developing Palates and Alpha Cigar Co. The second way to enter is to post this review to Twitter and tag @DevelopPalates and @alphacigarco

Don’t forget this part. Once you have posted to either or both, make a comment here stating where you posted the review and then we will pick two winners on Wednesday, May 17th. One winner will come from Facebook and one winner will come from Twitter.

The prizes are two (2) pairs of Alpha Absinthe Infused Claro. Each winner will receive a single pair of the cigars.

CONTEST RULES

1. You must be 21 years of age or over (Age verification will be conducted with winners).
2. You must be a resident of the continental United States.
3. Prizes will only be shipped to addresses in the continental United States.
4. Prizes have no cash value.
5. Developing Palates is not responsible for prizes damaged or lost in transit.
6. Occasionally cigars/prizes go missing, get damaged before we ship or other natural disasters occur, we reserve the right to replace a prize winning with something of equal or more value. In the event of replacement, winners will be notified before replacements are shipped.
7. In order to enter the contest you must post that you have tweeted/posted to Facebook in the comment section of this post.
8. Winners must claim prize by emailing info@DevelopingPalates.com within 72 hours of a winner being announced. Winners will be announced via a comment at the designated date for when contests end. It is all participants’ responsibility to determine if they have won. Process must be completed by 11:59PM PST 5/16/17
9. Unless otherwise specified, you can only enter each contest a single time. Multiple entries will be disqualified.
10. All winners for random contests will be chosen randomly. Contests where winners are not selected at random will be specifically noted.
11. Additional rules beyond what is stated on this page will be explicitly stated on contests where additional rules apply.
12. By entering a contest, you accept the terms and conditions stated above.
13. Developing Palates will only ship winner’s cigars if they follow the above steps and email the appropriate e-mail address.
14. Developing Palates reserves the right to change these rules at any time.

Team Cigar Review: Alpha Absinthe Infused Claro Robusto