Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is mostly medium brown with a lighter shade mixed in in some areas. The veins are well pressed and seams smooth. There appear to be two very well applied caps. There is a single band which has three hands pulling on a crown. The aroma from the wrapper is a floral/perfume scent while the foot aroma is a mix of leather and raisin. The pre-light draw brings a mix of the floral/perfume note and some leather.

Pre-light Experience

The All Out Kings Give Me Your Lunch Money vitola has a rustic, oily, spot on maduro shade wrapper. Veins are well pressed and seams tight and almost invisible. The head is finished off with a well adhered triple cap. Wrapper smells of pungent spicy cedar. Foot notes of white pepper, cedar, leather and hay. The cold draw has white pepper and toasted nuttiness.

First Third

Initial draws bring dark wood and a mild, dull pepper. At a quarter inch in, the pepper is really only on the finish while the dark wood note is heavy on my tongue. The retrohale is a slightly charred wood. Beginning at the inch mark, some faints hits of cherry sweetness pop in and out while the dark, heavy wood is still the primary profile. As the third comes to a close, the profile remains pretty much the same with the dark and heavy wood note. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

First third starts off with dry cocoa, gritty earth, wood bitterness and oak. A dry black pepper spice enters the palate at about 1.5 inches into the cigar. The retrohale has a dominating spicy cedar and cayenne pepper. The finish layers the tongue with an ashy charred wood bitterness, dry earth and dry red pepper. Strength and body right around the medium mark.

Second Third

As this third begins, the black pepper begins to re-emerge in the background with the dark, heavy wood still up front. At a half inch in, the darkness and heaviness of the wood seems to subside and it becomes more of an aged wood note. At an inch in, the profile wanes back and forth with the dark wood and aged wood notes. The retrohale does carry a nice aged wood note consistently. At an inch and a half, some bitterness enters the profile and moves the wood note to the background. As the third comes to a close, the bitterness drops back some becoming even with the wood. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Second Third

Second third loses out on especially the tasty dry cocoa note and is now namely centered around wood bitterness, dry nuts and cayenne pepper. Grit and cigar ash lingers for minutes on the entire palate. The retrohale is my favorite part, picking up a nice cherry note in addition to the pre-existing spicy cedar and dry nuts. Strength and body is still for the most part at the medium levels.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the general woody note and bitterness continue. At a half inch in, the dark, heavy wood begins to take over again and pushes the bitterness to the background. At an inch in, some minerality joins the dark wood note. As the third comes to a close, the bitterness goes away as the mineral note moves to the background and the dark wood is the primary note. The strength in this third was medium-full.

Final Third

The last third mimics the second third. Still mouth draw flavors of wood bitterness, dry nuts and cayenne pepper. The finish continuously lingers quite long with gritty earth and cigar ash. The retrohale continues to be my favorite part as it provides tasty notes of cherry, spicy cedar and dry nuts.

Burn

The burn line was razor sharp the entire time and ashes held on in inch and a half increments. The cigar also put out tons of smoke and had a consistent smoke output even while resting.

Burn

Perfect burn. Long and cool burning cigar with solid ash marks averaging 1.5 inch increments.

Draw

The draw was perfect. Just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The nice dark wood note in the first third had me thinking that this might be a one trick pony as some cigars just have that throughout, but things did change going into the second third which added an additional dimension, which was welcome. I didn’t get a bunch of nuances as the primary flavors were pretty heavy, but the flavors it did present were good. I would consider this a successful collaboration, but the price, even though it doesn’t factor into our score, is a tad high for this line. With that said, this is a cigar that is worth checking out for those that like medium plus strength and some dark and heavy flavors. I’m looking forward to smoking some of the other vitolas.

Draw

The draw was perfect. Just the right amount of resistance to pull in all the flavors.

Overall

The cigar started out with familiar maduro like flavors such as dry cocoa backed by wood notes and gritty earthiness. Unfortunately, by the time the burn got to the second third, the profile became a bit too spice and char centric, drowning out the other notes. I’m thinking this is not the right vitola for my palate. Looking forward to trying out the other vitolas (especially the larger ring gauged ones).

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.88

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$2.10

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: All Out Kings Give Me Your Lunch Money