Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a medium brown with some darker marbling. There are a couple of significant sized veins present. The seams are only really visible due to the marbling color of the wrapper. There looks to be three caps, with the top cap being a bit darker with some black spots on it. There are two bands, the primary band that is the standard Flor de Selva band and then a foot band that has the company name. The bands are an off-white with gold lettering and borders. The contrast of the wrapper color in comparison to the bands creates a very classy look. The aroma from the wrapper is a medium level barnyard. The aroma from the foot is a decent amount of tobacco sweetness. The pre-light draws brings a light tobacco sweetness and leather. There is just the slightest spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Maya Selva Flor de Selva Maduro Grand Presse has a rich and oily maduro wrapper. Veins are well pressed and seams tight. The bunching and roll feels well executed as there are no soft spots and a uniformed give. Head is finished off with a well applied thick triple cap. Nosing the wrapper gives dry wood, construction paper and faint barnyard. Nosing the foot gives black pepper spice, dry nuts and dry oak. Cold draw tells aged cedar, faint black pepper and barnyard.

First Third

Initial draws bring a mix of cocoa and peppery cedar. After a few draws, the cocoa goes away and the peppery cedar remains. The retrohale is also a pretty intense peppery cedar. At a quarter inch in, some cream joins in with the peppery cedar both in the mouth and retrohale. The flavors are very full. At an inch in, the pepper calms down and the profile of creamy and peppery cedar is mixing well. The pepper is still a bit intense on the retrohale. At an inch and a quarter, the cedar transitions to oak in the mouth and retrohale. The cream is still present and the pepper is really just apparent on the finish. At an inch and a half, some mustiness joins in with the creamy oak. As the cigar nears the end of the third, a bit of baking spice joins in with the creamy oak and mustiness. The strength in this third is medium-full.

First Third

The first thirds flavor profile shows a lot of smoothness. Distinctive dry cocoa, dry nuts and bread takes hold of the entire palate. Less distinctive notes of butter, dry wood and flowers rounds out the entire profile. Through the nose, spice shows up in the form of black pepper, and there are elevated bread notes, making the bread a bit creamy. The finish has soft lingering notes of dry wood. Body is somewhere in between medium and medium full. Strength is at a solid medium.

Second Third

As this third begins, it is a musty, creamy oak with a little spice on the finish. At three quarters of an inch in, the spice on the finish goes away, but the musty, creamy oak remains. The retrohale is a creamy oak. At an inch and a half in, the mustiness increases to lead the creamy oak. This is how the third finishes. The strength in this third is slightly above medium.

Second Third

The second thirds flavor profile is melded to a greater degree. Now a fuller dry wood, introduction of tame black pepper and black coffee is mixed into the profile. These notes are accompanied by dry cocoa, bread and dry nuts, giving greater depth to the overall profile. The same retrohale persists, providing deeper black pepper and creamy bread. The finish still has soft and lingering notes of dry wood, but now with bread added. Body moves up to a solid medium full and strength stays at a consistent medium.

Final Third

As this third begins, the mustiness has gone away and just a creamy oak remains. A quarter inch in and the oak gains a bit of char to it and the cream has moved to the background. An inch in, some mintiness joins in with the charred oak and cream in the background. This is the profile the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Final Third

The final third still has a well melded formula, providing creamy wood, tame black pepper, black coffee, dry nuts and black coffee. The retrohale remains unchanged with deeper black pepper and creamy bread. Finish still is soft and lingering with notes of dry wood and bread. Body and strength is still at medium full and medium, respectively.

Burn

The burn was fairly wavy throughout and got pretty far off and went out in the final third necessitating a relight. The ash held on in about inch and a half increments.

Burn

The burn in terms of burn time was nothing short of fantastic, clocking in at 3 hours. The ash marks held on tight, averaging 1.5 inch increments. What (majorly) failed was the burn line. Starting in the second third, a portion of the cigar refused to burn, needing three major touch-ups. Although this did not greatly alter the flavor profile, it was a paramount nuisance.

Draw

The draw was pretty good in the first third and then tightened up a bit the rest of the way. Nothing that caused an issue, but fairly tighter than I prefer.

Overall

The flavor profile and fullness were great in the first third. There was also a good amount of strength as well. Starting in the second third, the fullness dropped down and the flavor profile dropped a bit as well. This is a good offering in the fuller strength range from Maya Selva and I can see it as a great addition to the portfolio. I just wish the fullness from the first third had continued. Not a cigar for a beginner, but those that like Maya Selva cigars and those that haven’t really tried them due to a lower strength level may find this as something to search out. I would definitely be interested in revisiting this one.

Draw

The draw was perfect. Just the right amount of resistance to pull in all the flavors without a hitch.

Overall

An overall good representation of a maduro cigar, providing namely great notes of cocoa, wood and tame spice. The star of the cigar was the second and last third, where the profile showed cohesiveness and balance. The major touch ups was highly disappointing and annoying. I kept hoping the cigar would correct itself but to no avail. If I wasn’t reviewing the cigar, I would have been tempted to move onto something else at the end of the second third.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.67

Cost/Point

$1.76

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.33

Cost/Point

$1.60

Scoring System