Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son is between medium and dark brown and has a matte finish to it along with some decently raised veins. The seams are smooth and the head is well finished. The band is white and gold and carries the line name and an image of Kove’s character for the comic book series of the same name. The aroma from the wrapper is an even mix of wood and earth, while the foot brings a mix of pine and earth. The pre-light draw brings pine and earth along with a mid-level spiciness on my lips.
Seth: Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son is an average looking cigar. The band captures that Western vibe well, and the artwork is fitting for the theme and period. The wrapper is dark in coloring, dark leather, and it has some Natural, Colorado and Maduro qualities. Medium to large sized veins are present throughout, and the cigar is firm in hand. Aromas of herbs, wood, tobacco, spices and barnyard.
John: Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son comes in cellophane and features a UPC sticker with cigar information, along with an integrated tear strip that allows the UPC to remain intact once opened. I weighed the cigar at 19.6 grams and measured the humidity at 69.4% with the HumidiMeter Pro. Aromas from the wrapper included tobacco and barnyard. From the foot, I was getting hay, sweet tobacco and barnyard.
Jiunn: Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son has a rich, oily, even Colorado Maduro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head is well wrapped and capped. Aromas present are barnyard and dried persimmons.

Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with peppered cedar and some earth. At a quarter inch in, the pepper disappears and some creamy chalkiness joins in. At a half inch in, some mild black pepper re-joins, but it’s not attached to the cedar. The retrohale is cedar, earth and creamy chalkiness. At an inch and a half in, the creamy chalkiness increases a fair amount. As the third comes to a close, the cedar is just ahead of the creamy chalkiness, with earth in the middle of the profile and some black pepper in the background. The strength was slightly below medium.
Seth: The first third starts out with some tobacco and barnyard notes. Wood, leather, herbs and soft spices are present as well. In terms of strength and body, the cigar is right around the medium level.
John: The first third starts with creamy earth and baking spices at medium strength, with the baking spices lingering into the post draw. A few puffs in, sweet tobacco moves into the front of the draw, bringing some welcome softness to the profile. Almost immediately after, the strength of the baking spices recedes down to between light plus and medium minus. As the first third continues, mildly dry wood moves into the retrohale. The sweet tobacco at the front of the draw begins to linger into the post draw, taking on an almost cotton candy-like quality that adds a gentle sweetness without becoming artificial. As the cigar moves toward the halfway point of the first third, bread comes into the center of the retrohale, rounding out the profile and reinforcing the creamy texture established early on.
Jiunn: Upon the first few draws, my immediate thought is, wow a celebrity cigar that does not suck! Flavor-wise, it’s minerals with just the right amount of cedar wood and creamy nuttiness to encompass the minerals. Retrohaling awakens the nostrils with spicy cedar and roasted nuts. The finish is fairly clean with layered cedar wood. Strength and body is medium.

Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the earth increases a bit. At a half inch in, the black pepper increases a bit. The retrohale keeps the same components, but each at a different level with it being cedar, creamy chalkiness and then earth. At an inch and a half in, the black pepper mellows back a bit. As the third comes to a close, the cedar is just ahead of the creamy chalkiness, with earth a bit further behind and some black pepper in the background. The strength remains at slightly below medium.
Seth: The second third is in line with the first. Barnyard notes up front with some leather, herbs and soft spices. The cigar remains at that medium level for strength and body.
John: The second third opens with a combination of sweet tobacco, mildly dry wood and baking spices, all sitting at medium minus strength. As the second third settles in, the dry wood through the finish ramps up, climbing to medium and approaching medium-full strength. This shift pulls the profile in a more assertive, wood-driven direction. Through the bottom half of the second third, the dry wood recedes back down to below medium minus strength, allowing the profile to regain some balance, though without introducing new complexity.
Jiunn: In terms of flavors, the second third is the same, perhaps a bit more melded together. Still the same mineral, sweet and creamy roasted nuttiness and cedar wood. The strength ramps from medium to medium-full, while body remains medium.

Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the cedar becomes a bit fuller and gains a light toast. At a half inch in, the creamy chalkiness mellows a bit. The retrohale is now lightly toasted cedar, earth and some creamy chalkiness. At an inch in, a light vegetal note joins the profile. As the cigar wraps up, the lightly toasted cedar is up front, with creamy chalkiness and earth a bit behind and some black pepper and a vegetal note in the background. The strength remained at slightly below medium.
Seth: The final third is line with the first and second. No change.
John: The last third begins with a combination of wood and medium-strength baking spices, with dry wood and spice accents making up the post draw. Sweet tobacco moves into the center of the profile, helping to offset the baking spices and keep the cigar from becoming overly sharp. As the cigar reaches the halfway point of the final third, a touch of mustiness joins the finish, adding an earthy undertone that closes things out.
Jiunn: The final third is less interesting, mainly showing cedar wood and minerals with the sweet and creaminess left behind. The cigar is starting to basically taste a bit too earthy. Strength and body finishes the same medium-full and medium, respectively.

Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son

Burn

Aaron: The burn was a bit wavy throughout, but never needed any attention. The ash held on initially about two and a half inches and then about an inch and a half after that.
Seth: The burn was perfect from start to finish.
John: The burn was razor straight through the entire review process.
Jiunn: Flawless burn performance with an even burn, tight ashes and cool burning temperatures.

Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son

Draw

Aaron: The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.
Seth: The draw was perfect throughout the cigar.
John: I measured the draw at 46 inches of water with the CigarMedics draw machine. Subjectively, I found the draw to be one notch toward the resistant spectrum, placing it squarely in the ideal range between open and resistant.
Jiunn: Flawless draw performance as well, giving the ideal air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with peppered cedar and some earth. The pepper departed fairly quickly, but returned later, unattached to the cedar. Some creamy chalkiness joined in later. The second third saw the earth and pepper increase a bit, then the pepper later mellowed. The final third saw the cedar increase a bit and gain a light toast. The creamy chalkiness then mellowed a bit. Later, a light vegetal note joined the profile. Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son had an average flavor profile throughout, focused around cedar, creamy chalkiness and earth. I enjoyed the peppered cedar that the cigar started with, but that departed so quickly, it left me wanting. Overall, not a very exciting cigar and not something I’d see myself returning to.
Seth: I found Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son to be fairly one dimensional. The burn and draw were good, but the cigar did not deliver much and did not grow as the cigar progressed. It had a body and strength level just above medium, and it left the cigar somewhat flat. Herbal, mineral, tobacco and leather notes remain prominent throughout the cigar.
John: The Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son delivers a consistently approachable and well-constructed smoking experience that leans more on balance than ambition. The cigar’s strongest showing comes in the first third, where creamy earth, baking spices and sweet tobacco interplay nicely, particularly with the cotton candy–like sweetness that emerges briefly in the post draw. As the cigar progresses, the profile becomes more wood-centric, especially in the second third, where dry wood briefly pushes into firmer territory before settling back down. While the final third maintains cohesion, it doesn’t offer much in the way of evolution, instead relying on familiar notes of wood, baking spices and sweet tobacco to carry it to the finish. Both burn and draw were excellent, allowing the cigar to be smoked without distraction and letting the blend speak for itself. In the end, this Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son lands in average territory. It isn’t due to any major flaws, but because it never quite builds beyond its early promise. It’s an easygoing, competently blended cigar that rewards a relaxed smoking pace, even if it doesn’t leave a lasting impression once it’s put down. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 2 minutes.
Jiunn: Ok, so back to this celebrity cigar that does not suck comment. It’s surprising. It’s rare. And when I find a good one, it’s a happy moment. The flavor approach of the Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son is nuanced and subtle overall which makes me think it’s more established for seasoned cigar smokers. Grab a couple and be surprised with me.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.50

Cost/Point

$2.55

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$2.43

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$2.30

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$2.05

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Martin Kove’s The Prodigal Son