Pre-light Experience

The cigar has a nice medium brown leather colored wrapper. There are a few medium sized veins that carry a lighter color along one side of the cigar. The seams are smooth but easily visible. There is a nicely applied single cap that has a bit of a twist at the top, but not any extra wrapper there. It was just twisted to finish it and all excess was removed and then folded over. The band is very simple, being primarily white with a man leading a horse in gold. The other added feature of this cigar is gold leaf applied directly to the wrapper in the shape of a diamond. The diamond is about one inch in size. A very neat added visual. The aroma from the wrapper very much fits the color in that it is a distinct leather with a bit of barnyard. The aroma from the foot is also leather, but a little lighter and there is also a faint tobacco sweetness. The pre-light draw brings a slight fruit sweetness and more of the leather present from the aroma. There is also a slight spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Cavalier Genève White Series Diplomate has a gorgeous, almost Colorado red Habano wrapper. Veins are for the most part well pressed with one major vein protruding. Seams are fairly tight throughout the entire cigar. Cigar feels well bunched and rolled as there are no soft spots felt and a uniform give throughout the cigar. The pigtail head is finished with a thick double layered cap. Pre-light wrapper aroma gives fresh barnyard, sharp cedar and soap. Foot aroma consists of sweet hay, white pepper spice and sharp cedar. Cold draw tells dry cardboard and slightly lip tingling white pepper spice.

First Third

Initial draws bring a very toasted oak flavor. An eighth of an inch in and the toastiness mellows and there is now just a lightly toasted oak present. About a quarter inch in, a little mustiness joins the profile. The retrohale is primarily just straight oak. Nearing the half inch mark, a vegetal note joins in to mix with the lightly toasted oak and mustiness. Nearing the inch mark, the primary flavors are oak and mustiness. There is a little bit of a vegetal note on the finish and the retrohale is primarily oak and also has a slight vegetal finish. Nearing the end of the third, there are notes of cedar that are popping in and out along with the previously described profile. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

First Third

First thirds flavor profile is incredibly easy going and smooth. Right out of the gate, my palate is engulfed with bread and nougat. The bread specifically tastes like a buttery egg custard pastry. Following these notes, sweet hay, medium bodied sweet cream and faint cedar. What’s interesting is the absolute lack of spice. On the retrohale, faint charred wood, slight wood bitterness and sweet cream. The finish lingers with the custard pastry, faint cedar and bitterness. Roughly two inches in, the profile transitions such that the cedar, wood bitterness and sweet hay move to the forefront. Body and strength within the entire first third is medium and medium minus, respectively.

Second Third

Entering this third, the flavors mellow a bit but become better mixed. Oak, mustiness and a little cedar and vegetal note. A quarter inch in and some pepper joins in on the profile. A few more draws in, the pepper and vegetal note goes away and the profile becomes creamy with the oak and mustiness remaining. Half an inch in and the creaminess subsides, going back to a primarily oak profile with mustiness in the background. A little further in, some of the cedar comes back to mix with the oak and mustiness. An inch and a quarter in and I’m getting a flavor I don’t think I’ve ever experienced in a cigar before and that is peanut. It’s more on the finish and on the retrohale, but it’s there. Nearing the end of the third, some char comes in to mix with the oak. The peanut and mustiness have gone away. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

The second third continues where the first third left off. Still smooth notes of buttery egg pastry, sweet hay, cedar, slight charred wood and faint wood bitterness. About an inch in, a few new delicious flavors enters the profile; overly ripe plums, coffee and cream and pockets of refreshing mint. On the retrohale, buttery egg pastry and slight white pepper. The finish consists of slight wood bitterness and sweet cream. Body and strength continues to be medium and medium minus, respectively.

Final Third

As this third begins, the profile lightens up a bit as the char tones down some. I began to get a fair amount of bitterness, so I did a flaming purge and generated quite the pink and purple flame. After the purge and letting it rest a bit, the profile really settled down. The profile is now a mild cedar, but there is still some bitterness in the background. A half inch in and the bitterness subsides. The profile is now a light woodiness which also carries over to the retrohale. A little further in and some mustiness becomes present on the retrohale along with the wood. Near the end of the third, the mustiness makes it’s way into the mouth profile, so the cigar now consists of musty wood in the mouth and on the retrohale. The strength in this third was just below medium.

Final Third

Last third is where the gold leaf resides. The significance of noting this is when the gold leaf was burning, I tasted a faint slick metallic note. I wondered if I tasted this because of visually seeing the gold leaf burn. Mind trick perhaps? At any rate, after the gold leaf portion of the wrapper, I no longer tasted the metallic note. Aside from the metallic note, faint charred wood, wood bitterness, sweet cream, sweet hay and bread. On the retrohale, white pepper spice, sweet medium bodied cream and sharp cedar. The finish consisted of faint charred wood, wood bitterness and dried nuts. Body and strength, just like the first and second third, continues to be medium and medium minus, respectively.

Burn

The burn was good. In the middle third, a section of the wrapper on the side opposite of the gold diamond did not want to burn. I didn’t touch it up, but after the ash dropped in this third, the section of wrapper was easy enough to just tap off. Ash held on in just over one inch segments.

Burn

The burn for the first two thirds was picture perfect. Sturdy ashes averaging 1.5 inches in length. Razor sharp burn, but at the last third, the burn line was noticeably wavy, although no touch up was needed. Excellent total smoking time of 173 minutes.

Draw

The draw was very tight. After the initial cut and pre-light draw, I cut again, but it was still tight. Shortly after lighting, I went to the draw tool but that didn’t help at all. Things didn’t start to loosen up until the final third. I think the tight draw and hard pulls is what caused my experience at the end of the second third/beginning of the final third with the char and bitterness.

Overall

This cigar was pretty good even with the draw issues. I think that this cigar without these issues would be even better. The flavors were very nice and nuanced throughout the first two thirds. This would be easily approachable to any cigar smoker and could be smoked at any time of day. I’d definitely recommend picking one up to see what you think as if construction proves to be better, this could be a really good cigar.

Draw

The draw was on point. Just enough resistance to allow me to taste all of the nuances and complexities of the cigar.

Overall

A dessert cigar patched in luxurious gold. Makes complete sense why this cigar was originally geared towards the European market. A cigar that’s all about flavor with no strength (for U.S. standards). I’m happy to know this cigar will now be a part of the U.S. cigar industry, going head on especially with the new wave of mild Connecticut shade wrappers. High credits to Sébastien and Adin for creating what I believe is a great under the radar cigar this year.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.27

Cost/Point

$1.60

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.20

Cost/Point

$1.39

Scoring System