Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is dark brown with a few raised veins. The seams are visible just due to the thickness of the leaf and the head appears to be finished off with a smooth double cap. There are two bands, with the primary being similar to the American and Nicaraguan Barrel-Aged lines just in a black, white and gray color combination. The foot band also has the same color combination and denotes the Imperial Stout Barrel-Aged line. The aroma from the wrapper is of damp barnyard while the foot gives a creamy hay note. The pre-light draw has some sweetness to it along with some damp hay and a slight spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Camacho Imperial Stout Barrel Aged has a near jet black wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed and seams tight. The cigar is packed full of tobacco with a firm even give throughout. Nosing the wrapper gives cedar and dark chocolate. Nosing the foot tells dry wood, white pepper spice and baking spices. Cold draw reveals cedar, raisins and Asian spices.

First Third

Dark wood with an underlying baking spice is how the cigar begins. A little further in, the baking spice increase while the dark wood is still up front and some creaminess is now present in the background. At an inch in, the dark wood, spice and cream have created a pretty nice combination of flavors. The retrohale carries the same dark wood along with a bit of cream. At an inch and a quarter I begin getting some malty notes right at the beginning of the draws that is short lived. As the third comes to a close, the baking spice fades pretty far back and the dark wood and light cream continue on. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third gives mouth draw flavors of cedar, baking spices, minerals, effervescence and slight dry cocoa. Retrohaling gives greater depth of dry cocoa, baking spices and cedar. The finish is medium in length with a lingering cedar and dry earth. Strength and body is medium throughout the first third.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the dark wood and cream continue, as does the quick hits of maltiness. At a quarter inch in, I begin to get a little cocoa powder mixing in with the dark wood and cream. At three quarters of an inch in, the profile is becoming a bit drying as the cream is fading back a bit. The dark wood is up front and the cream and cocoa are just background notes. The retrohale is now carrying a musty wood note. As the third comes to a close, the profile is still drying as the cream has completely left and the dark wood up front with the cocoa in the background. The retrohale has now gained the cocoa note to go along with the dark wood. The strength in this third has moved up to medium-full.

Second Third

The second third picks up a slight char on the wood note. Aside from that, the profile becomes a bit darker, shifting focus from dry cocoa to a dark chocolate. Other notes of baking spices, minerals and effervescence remain. Profile maintains medium for strength and body.

Final Third

As the final third begins, it’s still a dry profile of dark wood and a bit of cocoa with a slight addition of some black pepper. At a quarter inch in, some cream rejoins the profile which knocks the dryness out. At an inch in, the dark wood remains up front as the cocoa has left the profile and the cream remains in the background. This is how the cigar finishes. The strength in this third remained at medium-full.

Final Third

The last third loses out on the charred wood and goes back to a cedar like wood. In addition, the dark chocolate becomes semi-sweet, giving it a creamier version. Notes of baking spices, minerals and effervescence is still in full effect. Profile finishes medium for body and strength.

Burn

The draw was slightly wavy the entire way, but always kept up with itself. The cigar did go out on me in the final third and required a re-light and it didn’t seem to want to stay lit the rest of the way. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Burn

Perfect burn performance. Cool and slow burn, razor sharp burn line and tight ashes sums up the perfection.

Draw

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

Overall

Similar to my experiences with the other barrel aged offerings from Camacho, the barrel aging was very subtle. I did get some malty notes, while some other notes that I attribute to a stout that I experienced, like creaminess and cocoa, I also get from tobacco, so I can’t say that the barrel aging played a role there or not. The flavor profile is on the darker side and the strength level was medium plus the entire way. I would smoke more of these, likely as an evening cigar. If you are a fan of Stout beer and maduro cigars, then this is definitely something you’ll want to see if you can track down to try.

Draw

The draw was also perfect, striking the best balance between air flow and resistance.

Overall

Two main thoughts on the Camacho Imperial Stout Barrel Aged. One, it is a tasty profile namely centered around darker flavors of chocolate and minerals. The charred wood note within the second third threw off the balance a bit, but nonetheless an enjoyable tasting profile. Two, typical of what I have experienced from Camacho’s barrel aged series, the flavors don’t come through enough. What I expect from a barrel aged imperial stout cigar is big vanilla, chocolate, roasted malt, etc. This cigar gave off chocolate, but that was the extent of it. I recommend picking up a few to judge for yourself.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.47

Cost/Point

$1.54

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.47

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Camacho Imperial Stout Barrel Aged