Pre-light Experience

This rectangle press cigar has a darker brown wrapper that is a bit splotchy. The veins are all well pressed and while the seams are easily visible due to color variations, they are very smooth. The head appears to be finished off with a well applied double cap. The band is a very traditional style and is primarily white with some orange, gold and black. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of damp wood and barnyard funkiness while the foot brings wood, white pepper and tobacco sweetness. The pre-light draw brings a mix of leather and raisin sweetness along with a very direct spiciness on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Dapper El Borracho Maduro Edmundo is intensely pressed and is firm to the touch. The wrapper is practically seamless and there are few veins present throughout the cigar. There is a nice cap on the cigar and the wrapper sports a dark maduro coloring to it. It has a soft gritty texture and is smooth throughout. The foot has an aroma of rich earth, strong spices, seasoned fruits and licorice, and the wrapper is giving off an aroma of leather and manure, and it is great all around.

Pre-light Experience

The Dapper El Borracho Maduro Edmundo is sharply box pressed, with a silky smooth, dark chocolate wrapper. The band is a fetching gold and red which comes across as simple, but elegant. Nosing the wrapper reveals aromas of cedar, leather and a faint barnyard. In the foot, there is a faint sweet tobacco.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mix of wood, cocoa and heavy baking spice, almost like a really amped up Mexican hot chocolate. At a quarter inch in, the cocoa fades to the background while the wood and baking spice are very full up front. At three quarters of an inch in, the profile mellows out a bit as the wood and baking spice are less full and the cocoa is an unsweetened cocoa powder and is even with the other notes. At an inch in, a slight creaminess joins the profile. The retrohale consists of wood, baking spice and cream. A little further in, the baking spice is very faint while the wood, cocoa powder and cream are at equal levels. As the third comes to a close, the cream increases and takes a slight lead over the wood and cocoa powder. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third opens up by delivering some great rich earth notes and it is paired with a nice sharp spice. There are some pepper qualities to it, but also some sweet aspects as well. I am getting some stone fruit aspects, and the finish is slightly creamy and spicy with more richness on top of that. I would classify the cigar as being medium-full for strength and body and the flavors are dead on with the body. The construction is absolutely perfect in this third and it has a razor sharp burn line with a lovely near white ash that is firm on the end.

First Third

The initial flavors on the El Borracho Maduro are significant amounts of chocolate, with a delayed spicy cedar finishing each puff. On the retrohale, the profile is sweet, spicy cedar. A few minutes later I’m tasting smoked barbeque flavors, as the spice on the retrohale begins to rapidly intensify. The intense chocolate also brings a satisfying creamy mouthfeel. The cedar notes evolve layers of complexity as the cigar progresses to the halfway point of the first third. By the halfway point, post draw leather has developed, with a mild citrus carrying through at the end of each draw.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the wood takes the lead as the cocoa powder and cream recede quite a bit. At a half inch in, the wood becomes more defined as oak and takes on a toasted note with some cream in the background. Some baking spice has returned to the background while the cocoa has gone away. At an inch in, the profile is continuing on with the toasted oak and cream up front and baking spice in the background. The retrohale consists of a slightly dry oak. As the third comes to a close, the profile is now just a dry oak, similar to the retrohale. The strength in this third remained at slightly above medium.

Second Third

I am in the second third of the cigar now and finding the flavor profile to show some transitioning from before. It is delivering a nice sweet spice profile, touches of pepper with that, and it has that berry and stone fruit quality. It has a mineral and floral finish to it and is very enjoyable. The construction on the cigar is still top notch and the cigar has that even burn line with a firm, nearly white ash on the end. The ash is holding on firmly, except for some careless handling by myself and it is smoking at a medium-full level throughout.

Second Third

By the second third, the chocolate is fading and cedar is taking over the retrohale. The post draw leather has fallen to light strength. The profile settles in to a combination of mild sweet chocolate.

Final Third

As the final third begins, some dry earth joins in with the dry oak. At a quarter inch in, a slight creaminess joins back in making the profile slightly less dry. At a half inch in, some mustiness joins in to pair with the oak, dry earth and cream. The retrohale is now a creamy oak. At an inch in, the mustiness is even with the oak while the cream is in the background and the baking spice is very faint. The strength in this third remained at slightly above medium.

Final Third

When I get into the final third of the cigar I find another change in the flavor profile being delivered. It is spicier in this third, showing a nice bit of pepper and is finished with some dry earth and wood notes. There is a creaminess to it as well and while it is showing the Broadleaf flavors, it is not as strong as it once was. It is smoking more at a medium level for body and strength and the flavors are right there as well.

Final Third

Moving into the final third, there is toasted cedar, with the chocolate and spices completely absent from the profile. Once the last third settles in, there is some mild earthiness that carries into the post draw.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy at times. The ash held on through the first half of the cigar before dropping and then held on in one inch increments the rest of the way.

Burn

The burn was magnificent. The burn line was perfect throughout and with a razor sharp burn line was a near white ash that was firm from the start and held on with ease. Fantastic!

Burn

The burn is perfect with a razor sharp burn line, grey-white ash and the ash holding on in 2+ inch increments.

Draw

The draw was pretty snug throughout but didn’t seem to cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The first third started with a very nice Mexican hot chocolate profile and then settled in with wood, cream, baking spice and some dry cocoa. The next two third were less complex and were focused around oak and some dry earthiness. Construction was pretty good aside from a snug draw. Having smoked the previous version of the El Borracho, I seem to lean towards that one over this maduro version. If you haven’t had a Dapper yet, this is still a good offering to get your introduction. I could see smoking this again, but it wouldn’t be the first cigar I reach for from the brand.

Draw

The draw from start to finish was absolutely perfect. This pressed cigar was fantastic right out of the gates.

Overall

I was thoroughly impressed with the Dapper El Borracho Maduro Edmundo from start to finish and totally surprised. It really delivered a great Broadleaf flavor and at the same time was not full in strength and body. A lot of people think Broadleaf cigars are always strong, and that is not the case. This cigar delivered the richness, spice and stone fruit qualities that I get from Connecticut Broadleaf, and was accompanied by additional unique aspects that were enjoyable as well. On top of that, the cigar was constructed beautifully. The draw was dead on and the burn line was perfect. I am not one that enjoys cigars being pressed like this, but with a cigar like this I can look beyond that!

Draw

The draw is quite tight, about 2 notches into the resistant spectrum. Examining the cigar, it seems firmly packed throughout. The draw opens up one notch about 30 minutes in.

Overall

The Dapper El Borracho Maduro Edmundo has an interesting first third, with a chocolate forward flavor combination. Unfortunately, once the cigar progresses to the middle third, the flavor combinations become average for the remainder of the experience. With a medium strength and flavor intensity, this cigar has the potential to appeal to a broad market.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.70

Cost/Point

$1.89

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

7.88

Cost/Point

$1.37

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.80

Cost/Point

$1.86

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Dapper El Borracho Maduro Edmundo