Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 is light brown and has some lightly raised veins. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. There are two bands, with the primary being creamy white, gold and burgundy and denoting the brand, line and year of celebration. The foot has a burgundy ribbon. The aroma from the wrapper is earth with some cedar while the foot brings cedar, earth and a bit of breadiness. The pre-light draw brings a mix of cedar and creamy leather.
Seth: The L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 has a fine gritty texture and a lovely Colorado coloring. Small to medium sized veins are present throughout. Firm in hand with some minor tooth. Antique brown coloring. Aromas of earth, tobacco, barnyard and spices.
John: The L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 came in cellophane and had a UPC sticker with the cigar information which tore as opened. It appeared to be a retailer UPC. There is a primary L’Atelier band and a red ribbon foot band. I weighed the cigar at 13.4 grams and measured the humidity at 63.1% with the HumidiMeter Pro. Aromas from the wrapper included sweet wood and mild hay. Out of the foot, I could smell hay and dusty tobacco.
Jiunn: The L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 has an even shade of Colorado. Veins are well pressed but visible, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head is well wrapped and capped. Pre-light aromas consist of heavy barnyard and naturally sweet mixed nuts.

L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted cedar, creamy leather, black pepper and some earth. At a half inch in, the toasted cedar, earth and creamy leather are all even with the black pepper in the middle of the profile. The retrohale is toasted cedar, creamy leather and earth. At an inch and a quarter, the pepper is now fairly mellow. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar, earth and creamy leather are all even up front, with some black pepper in the back half of the profile. The strength was right at medium.
Seth: The first third begins with some mineral and leather notes. Bits of tobacco, earth and coffee are present as well with sharp spices on the finish. There is a touch of currants with the cigar, but it is blended in with the coffee and earth notes. Medium to medium-full in strength and body.
John: My initial flavor impressions are dusty tobacco, light plus strength spices to follow and wood to finish. The same components are present through the retrohale with musty earth joining on the finish. Chocolate mixes in with spices through the retrohale as it settles in. Creaminess also joins the retrohale as the cigar progresses towards the halfway point.
Jiunn: The first third is nuanced and tasty. Flavors of sweet and creamy mixed nuts, barnyard, minerals, accented dried red pepper spice and a hint of meatiness. Retrohaling brings more sweetness in dessert like pastries and also ups the pepper spice. The finish is medium length with cedar lingering. Strength and body is medium.

L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the creaminess opens up to the overall profile and not just the leather. At a quarter inch in, even with the creaminess present, the overall profile is a bit dry. The retrohale is now earth forward along with the toasted cedar and creamy leather. At an inch in, the earth takes a slight lead in the profile. At an inch and a half in, the black pepper is now in the background. As the third comes to a close, the earth is slight ahead of the toasted cedar and leather with some supporting creaminess, The back pepper remains in the background. The strength continued at medium.
Seth: The second third is in line with the first. The mineral, spice and leather notes are prominent with earth and coffee notes on the finish. Touches of that fruit currant profile as well. Medium-full in strength and body. Sharp spices on the finish.
John: The second third gets going with creamy and musty tobacco as a mildly dry wood carries into the post draw. That profile remains stable as it marches towards the halfway point. Nearing the halfway point, a vegetal note joins the center of the retrohale. At the halfway point, a mild bitterness joins the wood through the post draw. In the bottom half, medium-full strength earth jumps into the center of the retrohale.
Jiunn: The second third is less sweet and creamy while picking up more minerals and dried red pepper spice. The profile is still equally enjoyable since all the flavors are still there. The retrohale is still where it’s at, giving a full flavored sweet and spicy experience. Strength and body remain medium.

L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the toast level increases a bit. At a half inch in, the earth, toasted cedar and leather are all back to even. The retrohale is now an even mix of toasted cedar, earth and creamy leather. At an inch and a quarter, the toast level becomes pretty heavy. As the cigar wraps up, the heavily toasted cedar, earth and creamy leather are even up front, with some black pepper in the background. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third is fairly in line with the second. Sharp spices more prominent with mineral and leather notes. Earth, coffee, tobacco and sour fruit notes are present on the finish. Medium-full in strength and body.
John: Creamy earth leads off in the last third with musty tobacco and wood teaming up on the finish. The wood takes on some bitterness almost immediately, along with some tannins. Earth joins the post draw at medium strength as it continues. The post draw bitterness moves up to medium, almost medium-full strength by the halfway point.
Jiunn: The final third tips the scale too much to minerals and spice such that the other softer flavors are less noticeable. This creates far less nuances and enjoyment. Strength and body finish the same medium.

L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18

Burn

Aaron: The burn was a bit wavy at times, but never needed any intervention. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.
Seth: The burn was decent throughout. Not perfect, and at one time a little wavy, but nothing major.
John: The burn was very straight through the entire review process.
Jiunn: Flawless burn construction providing an even burn, cool burning temperature and solid ashes.

L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18

Draw

Aaron: The draw was fairly snug throughout, but didn’t seem to cause any issues with the smoking experience.
Seth: The draw was solid from beginning to end.
John: The draw was at most 1/2 to one notch towards the resistant spectrum which puts it in the ideal range between open and resistant for an amazing draw score.
Jiunn: Perfect draw performance providing the ideal balance between air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted cedar, creamy leather, black pepper and some earth. The second third saw the creaminess span all of the components and the earth took a slight lead in the profile. The final third saw the cedar, earth and leather all become even once again and the toast level increased throughout the third. The L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 had an average flavor profile throughout, focused around the core components of toasted cedar, earth and leather. The profile was also a bit dry even though there was some creaminess. Overall, not a very exciting cigar, and not one I’d see myself coming back to.
Seth: The L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 was a decent cigar. I was disappointed with the lack of complexity and balance with the cigar, but it was far from a poor cigar. I am not sure if a larger offering would have improved the blend, but I feel it would have some more balance. The wrapper seemed too sharp and overpowering of the entire blend. It smoked decently and kept that medium to medium-full strength and body level throughout. Not a cigar I would come back to in the future or seek out.
John: The L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 was pleasant through the first third, but as it progressed it became more unbalanced with some bitter and harsh notes in the last third. Both the burn and the draw were perfect. I’ve had some really good L’Atelier offerings over the years, but the Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 was a surprising miss. The price point aside, there just isn’t an interesting or balanced enough flavor profile that would make me want to return to it. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 6 minutes.
Jiunn: When I read that this L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 was using Sancti Spiritus I knew it would be a great cigar. Ok, no I didn’t and that’s a lie. I don’t know much about this wrapper aside from I think it’s special and it sounds cool. Given my smoking experience, this was a good cigar that captured all the major areas of a good cigar, i.e. full and nuanced flavors matched with great construction. I’d like to smoke more of these with a few more months of humidor time in the hopes of ironing out the final third. For sure worth a try.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.35

Cost/Point

$2.99

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.15

Cost/Point

$3.11

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.40

Cost/Point

$2.96

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$2.35

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18