Pre-light Experience

A medium brown wrapper with a few visible veins. The seams are barely visible and very smooth. There appears to be three well applied caps. There are two bands, the standard Nomad band and then a black foot band with red lettering and borders that reads Martial Law. The aroma from the wrapper is the lightest hay before I would say that I couldn’t detect anything. The aroma from the foot is very flowery, but I hesitate to say perfume because there isn’t any of that alcohol like smell sensation. The pre-light draw is a mix of hay and that flowery flavor/aroma. There is also a decent spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Nomad Martial Law has a smooth and semi-oily, near Colorado red shade wrapper. Veins are well pressed and seams tight. The parejo head is finished off with a well adhered thick triple cap. Feeling up the cigar (ha!), bunch and roll feels tight, with little give. Nosing the wrapper gives cedar and flowery perfume. Nosing the foot tells an intense dose of white pepper and nuttiness. Cold draw tells salt on the tongue, tingling white pepper spice on the lips, dry wood and dry nuts.

First Third

Upon lighting, I’m greeted with a mix of flowers, wood and intense pepper. At a quarter inch in, the flowery note lessens and the pepper really drops down while the wood moves up front. The retrohale is peppery cedar with the floral note in the background. At half an inch in, the floral note increases to even out with the wood while the pepper is in the background and on the long finish. At an inch in, the wood is more defined as oak and is even with the floral note. The pepper has completely gone away. The retrohale is now a light floral note. As the third comes to a close, the floral and oak notes remain even. The strength in this third started at medium-full and ended at slightly below medium.

First Third

First thirds initial draws has notes of decadent chocolate, cedar, black pepper spice, a great depth of creamy nuttiness and slight char. Further, an oily pepper zing develops on the front palate. Roughly 1.5 inch in, the black pepper moves to the second tier of flavors, allowing especially the decadent chocolate to shine. There is also an introduction of creamy bread, pairing well with the creamy nuttiness. Through the nose, amplified black pepper and creamy bread. The finish lingers with black pepper on the rear palate, slight char and dry minerality. Body and strength are both at the medium mark throughout the entire first third.

Second Third

As this third begins, the floral and oak notes remain and a slight bitterness joins in. At half an inch in, the floral note drops back a bit with the oak up front and some bitterness still in the background. The retrohale is a mix of the floral note and oak. At an inch and a half in, the floral note diminishes a bit more with the oak still up front. At an inch and three quarters, the retrohale loses the floral note and is just oak. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

On the second third, the black pepper spice continues to die down. Still, prominent notes of decadent chocolate, cedar, mixture of creamy nuttiness and bread, faint oily pepper zing and slight char. Also, milk coffee mixes into the profile in an intermittent manner. Through the retrohale, still the same amplified black pepper and creamy bread. The finish lingers with cedar, dry nuts and dry minerality. Strength and body continues to be at the medium mark.

Final Third

As this third begins, it is primarily oak and a faint floral note returns in the background. At a quarter inch in, a fair amount of bitterness joins in with the oak and pushes the floral note out. At an inch in, the bitterness settles down some with the oak up front. This is how the cigar finishes. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last third is fairly in line with the second third. Only two notable changes; milk coffee is now a consistent note, and an increase in the oily pepper zing. There are still distinctive notes of decadent chocolate, cedar, mixture of creamy nuttiness and bread and faint char. The retrohale is unchanged, still providing amplified black pepper and creamy bread. The finish continues to linger with cedar, dry nuts and dry minerality. Strength and body finishes at the medium mark.

Burn

Near the end of the first third, the burn got a fair bit off and I touched it up. In the final third, the cigar went out and required a re-light. The burn was a bit wavy throughout. The ash held on in about inch and a half increments.

Burn

Overall burn was very good. Total smoking time clocked in at an impressive 3 hours. Burn line was fairly razor sharp. Ash was sturdy, with slight flowering, averaging 1.5 inch increments.

Draw

The draw was a bit loose through the first third and then tightened up to right where I prefer it.

Overall

The cigar started with a unique profile of flowers and an intense pepper which I don’t recall experiencing in a cigar before. After that, things settled into a floral and oak profile and then the final third became very linear. This was a nice experience that will fit people that are OK with a floral aspect to their cigars, which I am. The strength level will fit for those liking medium strength as well. Definitely a cigar that I will revisit and is another nice addition to the well stocked Nomad portfolio.

Draw

Cutting the cap in line with the ring gauge of the cigar yielded the perfect draw.

Overall

One thought comes to mind after smoking the Martial Law. That is, why haven’t I smoked more of Nomad cigars? My exposure to Nomad’s portfolio is limited, having only smoked an Esteli Lot 8613 (tasty cigar). If Fred blends for flavor such as the Lot 8613 and Martial Law, I am highly interested in his product offerings. This will no doubt be a top 15 or possibly top 10 cigar of the year for me.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.87

Cost/Point

$1.75

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

8.53

Cost/Point

$1.41

Scoring System