Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a lighter brown with a couple of medium sized veins and a patchwork of fine veins that carry a lighter color which creates a nice look. The seams are very smooth and nearly invisible. There appear to be three very well applied caps. There are two bands, the top band is purple and gold and carries the line name while the lower band is blue and gold and carries the company name. I can’t say I was able to detect any aroma from the wrapper and the foot was just a very faint hay. The pre-light draw is a mild leather with just a touch of pepper to it.

Pre-light Experience

The Warped Maestro Del Tiempo 6102R has a smooth and semi-oily Colorado Claro shade wrapper. There is an overall lumpy and slightly veiny feel to the entire cigar. Seams are tight and invisible. There is essentially no give to the entire cigar, hoping that will not cause issues with the draw. The head is finished off with a well adhered triple cap. Nosing the wrapper gives a mixture of floral, white pepper and barnyard. Nosing the foot gives white pepper and roasted nuttiness. Cold draw tells cardboard, nuts and generic dry wood.

First Third

On initial light I’m getting a big dose of spicy cinnamon. At a half inch in, the cinnamon settles down slightly and a woody note peeks out in the background. At three quarters of an inch in, the cinnamon subsides even more and becomes even with the woodiness. The retrohale is a creamy cinnamon. At an inch in, the cinnamon fades into the background while the woodiness becomes more defined as oak and is a bit drying. As the third comes to an end, a little bit of cream joins in with the oak and the light cinnamon. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

The first third begins with great depth in flavors, providing toasted bread, tongue layering black pepper, dry cinnamon, cream and nuts. Quarter inch in, a consistent floral note appears, mixing well with the cream. Through the nose, nasal clearing black pepper, intensified cream, nuts and cedar. The finish is long and lingering with black pepper weighing on the entire tongue and back palate, dry nuts and faint wood bitterness. Strength is in between medium and medium full, while body is at a solid medium.

Second Third

As this third begins, it is a nice mix of creamy oak and cinnamon. At a quarter inch in, the cream increases while the oak and cinnamon notes remain the same. At three quarters of an inch in, a slight bitterness joins in on the profile. At an inch in, the bitterness ramps up and takes the lead with the creamy oak in the background. The cinnamon has completely left the profile. As the third comes to a close, the bitterness settles down and the cigar warms up a bit to really enhance the oak. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Second Third

The main difference between the first third and second third is the loss in floral notes. This is overtaken by a dry wood and wood bitterness. Still flavors of toasted bread, tongue layering black pepper, dry cinnamon, cream and nuts remains in full force. Through the nose, still a sharp black pepper, intensified cream, nuts and cedar. The finish is still long and lingering with black pepper weighing on the back palate, dry nuts and wood bitterness. Strength continues to be somewhere in between medium and medium full, and body still at a medium.

Final Third

As this third begins, it is a warm oak with a little bitterness in the background. A quarter inch in, some cream comes back in to mix well with the warm oak and pushes the bitterness out. Three quarters of an inch in, the profile is slightly creamy oak and the retrohale is oak with a very slight spice to it. This is the profile the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last third takes another turn such that cream, nuts, black pepper, dry wood and wood bitterness becomes the main profile. Dry cinnamon and toasted bread are now secondary notes. The retrohale remains unchanged, still providing sharp black pepper, intensified cream, nuts and cedar. The finish is now primarily lingering notes of cream, nuts, dry wood and wood bitterness. Strength reaches to a consistent medium plus and body remains at the medium mark.

Burn

The burn was perfect through the first half of the cigar and then the burn got off a bit and I felt it going out on me so I touched it up to keep it going. The ash held on in one inch increments.

Burn

Burn was nothing short of amazing. Total smoking time clocked in at two hours. Burn line was razor sharp the entire way through. Ashes held on tight with no flowering, averaging one inch increments.

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues.

Overall

This is one of those rare cigars for me where I didn’t feel that the final third dropped off in enjoyment. While there were transitions, each third was equally enjoyable. The transitions were very nice and built on each other. The strength level was right in the middle, so it should appeal to most smokers. The wrapper on this cigar seems pretty fragile, so I would recommend that you handle it with care. This is a very nice addition to the Warped portfolio and is one I would definitely smoke again.

Draw

The draw was perfect. Just the right amount of pull, burning cool till the end of the smoking session.

Overall

The fact that I gave an “amazing” score (ie the highest possible score) in the smoking flavor experience (first third) for the first time on a non-cuban cigar speak volumes. Compound that by “very good” scores (ie second highest possible score) on the second and last third, and a flawless construction yields an outstanding cigar experience. Many cigar geeks love Warped and especially its use of the famed Aganorsa tobacco. But this one stands a notch above others giving full depth of flavors, nuances and complexities. I’ll be buying a box.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

7.00

Cost/Point

$1.50

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

9.00

Cost/Point

$1.17

Scoring System