Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown with a couple of slightly raised veins. The seams are smooth and barely visible as is the triple cap finishing the head. The band is very simple being white with the line name in black in a stenciled font. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of grassiness and creamy leather while the foot has more creamy leather along with some natural tobacco sweetness and white pepper. The pre-light draw is a mix of hay and leather along with a nice spicy tingle on my lips and tongue.

Pre-light Experience

The Jeremy Jack El Chapo has a nice oily, short and girthy corojo wrapper. Traces of oil can be felt within the entire wrapper, which is always a pleasing pre-light experience. Veins are well pressed, seams tight and the head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. Aromas from the wrapper consist of rich cedar and campfire wood. Foot aromas give powerful white pepper and rich dry nuts. Cold draw gives hay, cedar and bread.

First Third

Things start out with a mix of creamy cedar and black pepper. At a quarter inch in, the cream begins to stand on its own as it also brings some sweetness while the cedar is still present and the pepper has toned down some. At three quarters of an inch in, the profile is blending pretty well together with each component being complimented by the others. The retrohale does have a bit of a bite with the black pepper being at the front with the cream and cedar in the background. As the third comes to a close, a chalkiness joins the profile and takes the lead while the cream and cedar are background notes and the pepper has left. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third’s mouth draw flavor profile gives delicious notes of bread, cedar, nuts and a warming black pepper spice. Retrohaling brings forth some under-ripe stone fruits characteristics, deeper black pepper and rich roasted nuttiness. The finish is a long lingering cedar and nuts. Strength is near medium-full and body medium.

Second Third

The chalkiness eases up quite a bit and isn’t in front as the second third begins. The cedar and cream now have a slight lead. At a quarter inch in, the chalkiness gives way to mustiness which mixes well with the cream and cedar. At three quarters of an inch in, the cedar transitions to a general charred wood note as the cream and mustiness remain. The retrohale is a dry earthiness. As the third comes to a close, the cream increases to take a slight lead over the charred wood while the mustiness is still in the background. The strength in this third has moved up to medium-full.

Second Third

The second third transitions into a profile that is more geared towards minerals. There is also a nice oily coating on the tongue, which I always prefer over a drying palate. The first third’s notes of bread, cedar, nuts and black pepper are still there, but not as much as the slick oiliness and minerals. Strength moves to a consistent medium-full, while body maintains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the cream is still up front as some bitterness joins the charred wood. At a half inch in, the profile is working pretty well with the cream and charred and slightly bitter wood. The cigar has begun to heat up a bit, but it is actually working in favor of the profile. As the cigar comes to a close, the cream has really ramped up and is clearly out front while the charred and bitter wood is a supporting note. The strength in this third remained at medium-full.

Final Third

The last third continues to deliver the same mouth watering oily minerals, and the bread and cedar note is more prevalent. The finish picks up a slight grittiness with a long and lingering slight dirt note in addition to the cedar. Strength and body is unchanged at medium-full and medium, respectively.

Burn

The burn was a bit wavy, but even though portions of the wrapper got nearly a half inch off at times, it always kept up with itself without any intervention. The ash dropped once right at the halfway mark.

Burn

Burn performance was overall very good. Not the prettiest of burn as the ashes were a bit flaky and burn line a tad uneven. But the cigar burned slow and cool and I only had to use my lighter once to touch-up.

Draw

The draw was a bit snug, and I wonder if that’s what brought the bitterness on and heated things up. In the end, it didn’t seem to hurt the flavor profile too much.

Overall

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this cigar and I was pleasantly surprised with the balance of flavors and strength. Even though it hit medium-full in the second third through the end, the flavor profile kept up and it wasn’t overshadowed. A better draw would have been preferred, but I don’t think the tightness hurt things too much. This is my second experience with the Jeremy Jack brand and it was another good experience, so I’m definitely looking forward to the other lines. If you’re a Casa Fernandez/Aganorsa fan and like cigars in this vitola, then I think it would be worth your time to track these down.

Draw

Draw was perfect. The ideal air flow and resistance.

Overall

Another Jeremy Jack cigar that met my IPCPR expectations. Expectations driven by a quality factory and most importantly world class Aganorsa tobacco. The El Chapo isn’t at the level of deep flavors like Illusione or some of Warped or Casa Fernandez offerings. But that isn’t to say this wasn’t a delicious cigar well worth picking up. Plus, who doesn’t like saying El Chapoooooo?

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.42

Cost/Point

$1.38

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.07

Cost/Point

$1.25

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Jeremy Jack El Chapo