Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a very pale green with a brownish tint to it. The caps are not Candela, as if I recall, they wanted to try to keep the Candela wrapper out of the smokers mouth so that it didn’t impart it’s typical flavors on the lips. There are some easily visible medium sized veins. The wrap lines are easily visible as well, but they are rolled smoothly. The band is in the shape of a pickle and is closer to lime green than pickle green. Not the greatest looking band, but I think it’s fine in going with the theme. There is not much aroma at all from the wrapper, maybe just a very light hay. The foot gives some leather and light sweet grass. The pre-light draw brings almost a mirror image of the aroma from the foot, some leather and light sweet grass.

Pre-light Experience

The MoyaRuiz Pickle Juice has a pale green wrapper. The wrapper is fairly fragile as evidenced by a few cracks at the bottom of the cap and divots within the second third. Veins and seams are well pressed and hidden. The roll feels good providing an even give throughout the cigar. Last but not least, the triple cap is neatly applied. In terms of pre-light aroma, the wrapper smells of dominant hay and cedar, followed by faint notes of dehydrated vegetables and dry cardboard. Foot smells of namely black pepper spice, flowers and hay. Cold draw reveals namely black pepper spice and dry cardboard.

First Third

Upon lighting, I’m getting a bit of a vegetal flavor along with a mellow spice which is a pretty good combination. After a quarter inch, the spice fades away a bit, but makes itself more present in the retrohale. The flavor is carrying a very dull mix of the vegetal experience and the spice. It mixes well and is low key, but at the same time enjoyable. About half an inch in, the flavor becomes very grassy with the spice almost completely gone now. As things progress, I begin to get a little bit of cinnamon on the retrohale. The grassiness turns into more of a dry hay. The retrohale carries just the slightest bit of cinnamon and creaminess. Nearing the end of the third, a fair amount of mineral makes its way into the retrohale. As the third finishes out, it is creamy dry hay with a little minerality on the retrohale. The strength in this third was a mild-medium.

First Third

Initial inch makes me scratch my head thinking “am I smoking a Candela wrapper?” Not many flavors of the Pickle Juice are reminiscent of a stereotypical Candela. Where is the abundance of vegetal notes? Hay? Instead, solid medium body and strength notes of semi-sweet cream, freshly roasted nuts, slightly oily and palate coating black pepper spice and a slight tinge of bitterness. These flavors continue all the way through the first third.

Second Third

As this third begins, it continues with the creamy hay. The retrohale loses most of the minerality as well. The same profile is continuing, but is all melding together really well. Very creamy and smooth. It’s a bit drying to the tongue and lips though. Mid way through the third, the creaminess fades back a little bit. A few draws further in, the creaminess comes back and the minerality ramps back up on the retrohale. Nearing the end of the third, the creaminess really ramps up. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

Second thirds flavor profile is a more robust experience as compared to the first third. Still solid medium strength and body experience giving bolder semi oily black pepper spice, amped semi-sweet cream and light oak. The bitterness is nowhere to be found, perhaps overtaken by the above mentioned notes. At random points, I do get a typical Candela flavor of hay. Also, new flavor of light roast coffee provides a greater depth of flavors.

Final Third

As this third begins some very bright vegetal flavors come in to mix with the creaminess. As the third continues, a little bit of bitterness comes in on the retrohale, but it is not off-putting. The primary flavor now is a light hay and creaminess. The retrohale is some minerality and a little bit of bitterness to go along with the creamy component. Nearing the middle of the third a little bit of pepper is joining in with the hay and cream. Nearing the end of the third, the pepper disappears and the creaminess ramps up again. The retrohale becomes pretty grassy. The strength stayed at medium in this third.

Final Third

The first half of the last third is a continuation of the second third. Still robust, medium bodied and strength flavors of semi oily black pepper spice, semi-sweet cream, light oak, intermittent hay and light roast coffee. But towards the second half of the last third, the cigars bitterness returns, drowning out much of the aforementioned flavors leaving namely bitterness, black pepper spice, and light oak.

Burn

The burn was all over the place. For the entire second third, there was a small side that didn’t burn which allowed the ash to hang on the entire length. This didn’t seem to effect the performance at all, but is worth noting.

Burn

Given the cracked wrapper, the cigar still burned fairly well. The burn line was fairly uneven and ash was flowery at all times but the entire cigar still burned with no touch ups needed.

Draw

The draw was pretty much perfect. Nothing to complain about.

Overall

Overall, this was a good cigar. In regards to Candela’s, this was a very good cigar. Not having a long history with Candela’s, I would say this ranks just behind the Illusione Holy Lance Candela. Having not smoked the RoMa Craft CroMagnon Fomorian yet, I can’t say how well it ranks compared to that. I think this cigar would do even better if it was a shorter length. The flavors of the first two thirds were pretty good, but the last third is where things dropped off a bit. With a medium to mild strength overall, this would be a cigar that I think anyone could enjoy. It’s not too grassy like some other Candela’s can be, so for those wanting to try Candela again, I would recommend this as a good re-entry point.

Draw

The draw was unfortunately the deal killer. The draw was very loose and because of the wrapper tear running up to the bottom of the triple cap, I had to constantly keep a close eye ensuring no further tears. Unfortunately, by the time I was at the last third, the cap completely tore off.

Overall

This was far from a typical Candela cigar. Benchmarking other Candela cigars, this was quite a robust representation giving good body, strength and balance. A craft and artisanal jar of pickle juice.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.47

Cost/Point

$1.19

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

4.93

Cost/Point

$1.56

Scoring System