Pre-light Experience

Right up front what is noticed about this cigar is the large cedar sleeve that runs from the foot band up to the primary band which is about four and three quarter inches. The primary band is the gold crown and the foot band carries the line name. After sliding the cedar off which is carrying the foot band, a dark brown wrapper with some slight color variations is revealed. There are a few visible veins and the seams are slightly visible just due to the slight color variations. The head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. The aroma from the wrapper, as expected, is a nice sweet cedar. The foot brings a very creamy leather aroma. The pre-light draw is a smooth mix of cedar and leather and leaves a mild tingling spice on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Elegante en Cedros has a maduro shade wrapper that is full of life. The wrapper has great oil content and is quite attractive. Veins are semi-well pressed and seams are tight and visible. The cigar feels weighty with a firm and even give. The parejo head is finished off with a well adhered triple cap. Nosing the wrapper tells cedar and peppered dry nuts. Nosing the foot gives black pepper, cardboard and sweet nuttiness. Cold draw reveals spicy raw cedar and dry black pepper on the lips and tip of the tongue.

First Third

Initial draws bring a mellow cedar and slight cinnamon in the background. At a quarter inch in, some cream joins in with the cedar and cinnamon creating a more well rounded profile. At an inch in, the cream fades away and the profile goes back to cedar and cinnamon. The retrohale consists of a slightly spicy cedar. At an inch and a half, a bit of cream rejoins while the cinnamon is now very faint and the cedar is the primary flavor note. As the third comes to a close, a little more cream joins in which completely pushes the cinnamon out. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

First third opens with cedar, gentle black pepper spice and spiced baker’s chocolate. Roughly 1.5 inches in, spice and strength increases from medium to medium-full. Retrohale notes of more intense cedar, spiced bakers chocolate, cedar and creamed stone fruits. The finish is namely centered around black pepper, dry nuts and fresh cut cedar. Body is for the most part medium.

Second Third

As this third begins, it is still primarily cedar that carries a bit of spice to it along with some cream. At three quarters of an inch in, the cream goes away and some wood bitterness joins in with the slightly spicy cedar. At an inch and a half, the bitterness diminishes and the cedar transitions to more of a general wood note. As the third comes to a close, the bitterness returns, mixing with the general wood note. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Second Third

Second third continues to show more spice in the form of fresh cut cedar and dry black pepper. This leaves very little room for the baker’s chocolate. The retrohale shows greater depths in spicy cedar, dry nuts and a hint of creamed stone fruits. The finish picks up a rock like earth minerality, in addition to the pre-existing cedar and dry black pepper. Strength is still medium-full and body still medium to medium-full.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the profile of wood and some bitterness continues. At a half inch in, the bitterness drops back again, leaving the general wood note as the primary flavor. At an inch and a half in, some cream rejoins the profile which is very welcome. As the cigar comes to a close the cream has reduced a bit while the wood note is still up front. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Final Third

Not much difference between the second and last third aside from the strength moving from medium-full to full about an inch in. Still notes of fresh cut cedar, dry black pepper and earthy minerality. The finish lingers long, coating the palate with spicy cedar and rock-like minerality. The retrohale provides a significant increase in black pepper and cedar.

Burn

The burn left a lot to be desired. While the burn line was pretty straight, the cigar seemed to want to go out constantly. Through the first half I had to perform multiple draws to get adequate smoke production. The cigar did go out a couple of times in the second half, requiring re-lights. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Burn

Burn was slightly wavy the entire cigar with slightly flaky ash and minor unburnt wrapper portions. The cigar did burn cool throughout the entire smoking time.

Draw

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

Overall

The cigar started out well, but I believe the burn issues were a detriment to the flavors as frequent draws didn’t help with what the cigar was supposed to present. I’m hoping Jiunn had a better burn experience and can describe a better flavor profile. I am interested in smoking this again to see how better performance will change up the flavor profile. Based on my experience, I prefer some other Sobremesa vitolas more.

Draw

Slightly snug for my liking but nonetheless, a great draw.

Overall

I surprisingly find this size of the Sobremesa to be average (knowing how much I enjoyed the other sizes). The notes were too spice and strength driven for me. This drowned out especially the much loved spiced bakers chocolate note I enjoyed so much within the first third. The other Sobremesa sizes shows much more balance and refinement, something the Elegante en Cedros lacks. Try this size if you are a fan of fuller strength cigars and have 2.5 to 3 hours to relax.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.60

Cost/Point

$2.41

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.87

Cost/Point

$2.30

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Elegante en Cedros