Pre-light Experience

A medium brown wrapper with some darker marbling. There are a couple of very prominent veins including two that go up to the head. The seams are easily visible but smooth. There are three well applied caps. The cigar has two bands, the primary band has a silhouette of Big Papi doing his traditional tribute to the sky at home plate after hitting a home run along with the name of the cigar. The band is primarily white with red borders and red pin striping. The second band is a red cloth foot band. The aroma from the wrapper is hay and leather. The foot aroma is just hay. The pre-light draw is a mellow graham cracker and there is a mid-level spiciness on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Big Papi by David Ortiz has a Colorado Red wrapper shade. The wrapper feels both sturdy and structured. Veins are well pressed and seams tight. The cigar is packed full of tobacco feeling weighty and with little give. The head is finished off with a thick, well adhered triple cap. Nosing the wrapper gives wet earth, cedar and barnyard. Nosing the foot provides barnyard, sweet nuttiness and cedar. Cold draw tells cedar, cardboard and hay.

First Third

Initial draws bring a mix of leather and spicy cedar. At a quarter inch in, the spiciness mellows out quite a bit and the leather moves to the background with the cedar up front. The retrohale is a slightly spicy cedar. At an inch in, some cream joins in with the slightly spicy cedar while there is still a bit of leather in the background. At an inch and a half, the spicy cedar transitions to oak and maintains some of the creaminess. This is how the third finishes. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third wastes no time delivering a powerhouse of flavors. Notes of smokey wood, dry black pepper spice, sweet and spicy cedar, dry minerality and a residual dry jalapeno like spicy heat. Inch in, a bright fruit develops. Through the nose, intense black pepper as well as sweet and spicy cedar. The finish is long and lingering with sweet and spicy cedar, dry jalapeno like spicy heat and faint bread. Body is at a solid medium and strength somewhere in between medium and medium-full.

Second Third

As this third begins, the slightly creamy oak profile continues. The retrohale is now a very slightly charred oak. A half inch in, the cream picks up a little sweetness which enhances the profile with the oak. Three quarters of an inch in, the sweetness goes away and a slight bitterness joins in with the oak. The retrohale is now a warm toasty oak. At an inch and a quarter, the bitterness goes away, leaving just the oak. This is how the third finishes. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Second Third

The second thirds flavor profile smooths out, still delivering flavors of smokey wood, dry black pepper, sweet and spicy cedar, dry minerality, residual dry jalapeno like spiced heat and bright stone fruit. A consistent leather note enters the profile starting from the beginning of the second third. Through the nose, intensified black pepper, spicy cedar and faint dry nuts. The finish continues to be long and lingering with smooth residual dry jalapeno heat, spicy cedar and smokey wood. Body is still at medium, while strength increases to a medium-full.

Final Third

As this third begins, oak is still the primary player while a slight bitterness has joined back in. At three quarters of an inch in, the bitterness has faded away and just the oak remains. The profile stays steady the rest of the way, The strength in this third was medium-full.

Final Third

The last third mimics the second third in every way. Still a smoothed out profile providing smokey wood, dry black pepper, sweet and spicy cedar, dry minerality, residual dry jalapeno spiced heat, bright stone fruit and leather. Through the retrohale, intensified black pepper, spicy cedar and faint dry nuts. The finish is still long and lingering giving smooth residual dry jalapeno heat, spicy cedar and smokey wood. Body is at medium and strength medium-full.

Burn

The burn line was a little wavy but always kept up with itself. The ash held on in inch and a half segments.

Burn

The burn was average. Total smoking time clocked in at a great 3 hours. A full re-light was needed at the end of the first third. Burn line was fairly wavy throughout the entire smoking experience. Ashes were significantly flaky, averaging one inch ash marks.

Draw

The draw was pretty firm, so I was taking deliberate draws, but I don’t think it had any negative effects.

Overall

Usually, when a cigar is attached to a celebrity or athlete, the first thing people think about is that it’s a gimmick. That isn’t the case with this cigar as it carries a nice profile and smoking experience. It’s not the most complex cigar, but still enjoyable. The strength level is above the medium threshold, so it may not fit everyone, but for those that like a little strength, this is one to give a try. I could definitely see myself sitting down with this cigar to enjoy an evening baseball game during the summer. With the smoking time, around 3 hours for me, it fits a game almost perfectly.

Draw

The draw was great for this toro sized cigar. Perfection.

Overall

I find most celebrity types of cigars to be gimmicks. But this cigar proved to be an exception. The cigar was consistently good throughout the entire smoking experience showcasing the unique spice and wood profile I find in Dominican tobacco. Well done collaboration between Tabacalera El Artista and David Ortiz.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.47

Cost/Point

$1.70

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.93

Cost/Point

$1.59

Scoring System