Pre-light Experience

The wrapper looks a little marbled between medium brown and light brown. There are a few veins present that carry a very fine black line on them. The seams are nearly invisible which is a bit of a surprise due to the marbling and veins that are visible. There are also three very well applied caps. A single band that is a pinkish purple with gold bordering that carries the line name. The aroma from the wrapper is a slightly sweet hay while the foot is a faintly sweet tobacco. The pre-light draw brings a bit of leather with faint sweet hay in the background. There is also a decent spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Warped Maestro Del Tiempo 5712 has a construction paper consistency Colorado Claro wrapper shade. Seams are tight and veins well pressed. The cigar feels well bunched and rolled as there are no soft spots and a uniformed give throughout. The parejo head is capped off with a thick triple layer. Nosing the wrapper gives hay, barnyard and spicy cedar. Nosing the foot gives dry nuts and a touch of dry white pepper spice. Cold draw tells cedar and dry cardboard.

First Third

Initial draws bring a very full dose of spicy cinnamon and wood. At a quarter inch in, the cinnamon settles down a bit and the wood gains an aged note to it. The retrohale has cinnamon up front with wood in the background. At a half inch in, a slight bit of cream joins the profile. At three quarters of an inch in, the cinnamon has completely left the profile leaving a slightly creamy aged wood. The retrohale has transitioned away from the cinnamon as well and now has some mustiness ahead of the wood. As the end of the third nears, the wood is very full with a slight hint of cream which makes for a very nice mix. The strength in this third is slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third has full and easily distinguishable notes of toasted wood, dry nuts, medium bodied sweet cream, black coffee and dry earth minerality. Spice delivery is on the medium plus side, layering the entire tongue and rear palate. As the first third progresses, the black pepper note increases but never overbearing. Through the nose, nasal clearing black pepper, sharp cedar and dry nuts. The finish is a mixture of bread and dry nuts with black pepper on the rear palate. In terms of strength, somewhere in between medium and medium-full. Body is at a consistent medium.

Second Third

As this third begins, the cream leaves the profile and the wood becomes a bit drying. At a half inch in, the wood begins to taste a little stale with a slight ashiness. Three quarters of an inch in, some cream comes back to the profile and the ashiness changes to a slight bitterness. As the third comes to a close, some ashiness comes back into the background along with the slight bitterness while the wood is up front. The retrohale now consists of oak. The strength in this third is medium-full.

Second Third

The second third still shows a tasty profile but a decrease in complexities and nuances. The main notes represented are toasted wood, slight wood bitterness and medium body sweet cream. The retrohale remains unchanged still providing nasal clearing black pepper, sharp cedar and dry nuts. The finish consists of bread, dry nuts, black pepper on the rear palate and wood bitterness. Both body and strength is at the medium mark.

Final Third

As this third begins, the wood becomes more defined as oak and has a toastiness to it. At a half inch in, some cream joins in with the toasty oak. The retrohale also consist of the toasty oak. At three quarters of an inch in, some bitterness joins in with the cream and toasty oak. As the cigar comes to a close, the bitterness fades away and leaves the slightly creamy and toasty oak. The strength in this third was medium-full.

Final Third

The last third continuously shows a decrease in complexities and nuances, namely providing harsh bitter wood, dry wood, mixed dry nuts, tapered black pepper and bread. The retrohale still has heavy black pepper, cedar and dry nuts. The finish is comprised of tapered black pepper, wood bitterness and dry wood. Body and strength remains unchanged at the medium mark.

Burn

The burn went off pretty far from the start and required a touch-up. After that, it was fairly wavy the rest of the way. Ash held on in one inch increments.

Burn

The burn was overall very good. Total smoking time came in at a respectable one hour. Burn line and ash was spectacular with a sharp burn and solid ashes averaging 1.5 inch increments.

Draw

The draw had just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The first third started off with some wonderful flavors, but as it got into the second third, the profile became average and remained that way. With how things started I had hoped things would continue that way, but it wasn’t meant to be. Other than some portions of the wrapper not wanting to burn, performance was pretty good. Strength level was medium and up, so it’s not quite in the wheelhouse of low strength smokers, but those that enjoy a fuller strength may find this very appealing. I’m definitely interested in revisiting to see if I can get the experience of the first third for more of the cigar.

Draw

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

Overall

Similar to the experience I had with the Warped Villa Sombra Mojitos, this cigar started out with an array of wonderful flavors but deteriorated as each third progressed. The wood harshness and bitterness starting from the second third and ending in intensity within the last third was disappointing, as it was a major note. Given this, I’d like to try this cigar again after proper humidor time in half a year to a year. But at this point, I won’t be smoking more anytime soon.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.73

Cost/Point

$1.43

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.20

Cost/Point

$1.34

Scoring System