Pre-light Experience

The wrapper color varies a bit in the light brown range. It is darker at the foot and lightens as it goes up to the head. There are a couple of slightly raised veins present and the seams are only visible due to the color variation of the wrapper. The cap is hard to distinguish and looks like it may be a single. The band is the traditional Smoking Jacket design but in a gold and black combination for this line. The aroma from the wrapper is a light mixture of hay and barnyard notes while the foot brings a golden hay aroma. The pre-light draw brings the same golden hay flavor.

Pre-light Experience

The Smoking Jacket Henkie has a Colorado Claro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, parejo head triple wrapped and a uniformed give persists throughout the entire cigar. Nosing the wrapper gives primarily cedar and white pepper. Nosing the foot tells spicy white pepper, cedar and nuts. Cold draw gives hay, dry earth, cardboard and white pepper.

First Third

The cigar kicks off with a mellow mixture of light wood and toasted bread. The retrohale actually carries a slightly fuller version of this same profile. At an inch in, not much has really changed except for a slight increase in the fullness of flavors along with a slight sweetness that is present at the very end of the draw. At an inch and a quarter, a slight creaminess joins in with the existing profile. As the third comes to a close, the sweetness goes away while the wood, toasted bread and slight creaminess remain. The strength in this third was mild-medium.

First Third

The initial few draws remind me of Henkie’s blending touch, IE a flavor profile that is hay / grass forward. It doesn’t take long for the flavors to broaden as the hay is soon accompanied by creamy bread, a candied like sweetness, white pepper and cedar. Retrohaling is sweet and spicy, giving an almost cotton candy like sweetness and white pepper. The finish is on the softer side with a lingering cedar. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the smooth profile of wood, toasted bread and slight creaminess continues. At a quarter inch in, the wood note gains a slight char which lessens the toasted bread dynamic while some cream still remains in the background. The retrohale carries the charred wood and cream. At an inch in, the toasted bread has completely left as the charred wood continues on and the creaminess has increased in fullness. This is how the third finished. The strength in this third bumped up to be slightly below medium.

Second Third

The second third still creates the same overall mixture of sweetness, earth and spice but is less identifiable as compared to the first third. Flavors of hay / grass, white pepper, creamy bread, candied sweetness and cedar are all very much so still prevalent. On the retrohale, the profile is more spice forward giving white pepper and less of the sweetness. Strength and body remains medium.

Final Third

Getting into the final third, the charred wood is continuing on with the cream and the new addition of a mild black pepper. At a half inch in, the char increases while the cream remains at its previous level and some black pepper is still detectable. As the cigar comes to a close, the char drops back a bit while the cream is still present but the black pepper has left the profile. The strength in this third bumped up again to be right at medium.

Final Third

A light bulb just went off in my head. Minerality was missing in the profile. Just in time as the minerality really gives the profile mix an added layer of depth, mixing well with the pre-existing sweetness and spice notes. Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn was pretty good through the first two thirds with one instance where a portion of the wrapper didn’t want to burn, but it burned around and that piece dropped off with the first ash drop. The cigar went out once in the final third and there was a quarter inch section where it felt like it wanted to keep going out, but once past that things got back on track.

Burn

Burn was just short of perfect. The only downside was an uneven burn at times. But there was never a need to use my lighter.

Draw

When I went to cut the cigar, I found it interesting that it wasn’t much of a cut, but a pinch of the head which popped the cap off and a nice cut was already present underneath. The draw was perfect with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

This was a really nice experience. The flavor in the first third was the best part as it was very mellow and nuanced with a low strength. As the cigar progressed it became fuller and less nuanced, but the strength never topped medium. Other than a couple of burn issues, which weren’t anything terrible, construction was fantastic. This is something that I think an experienced cigar smoker that enjoys finer, nuanced flavors would really enjoy. A newer smoker would enjoy this as well, but I don’t think they would be able to appreciate all of what this cigar provides. This was my first experience with the Smoking Jacket brand and I’m impressed. The price point on this cigar is very attractive and the value from what it provides is excellent. I look forward to smoking more of these and would highly recommend that you track some down for yourself.

Draw

Perfect resistance and air flow to the cigar.

Overall

The Smoking Jacket Henkie was a pleasure to smoke through and through. I loved how the flavors were so full, especially in sweetness, earth and just the right amount of balanced spice. Don’t sleep on this one. This cigar stands toe to toe along some of the ultra premium offerings from Davidoff at a fraction of the price.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

7.32

Cost/Point

$1.23

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

8.13

Cost/Point

$1.11

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Smoking Jacket Henkie