I finally got to try one the Ingenios I received 2 weeks ago..... I had bought 2 boxes and 5 singles at the time... The boxes were meant to be aged, while I would slowly savour the 5 singles over the next couple of years....
Weird thing, is that i wasn't in the mood for any spirits, nor coffee… so I ended up smoking "dry".... just the occasional sip of Naya spring water...
here goes my review...
Construction was beyond flawless.. I’d say phenomenal… nice dark and oily wrapper… not a maduro color, but a very, very dark one… the cigar smelled very strong.. lots of earth tones, almost muddy.. it had a few veins popping on it, but not too many….
Snipped the head with a pair of scissors… and I put the cigar in my mouth… instant tingling on the tip of the tongue… pre-light draw was good, but I could feel a slight “pluggness” in it… light it up with s ingle flame torche.. the cigar came to light rather quickly.. forming a nice dark grey ash that held on for as long as I wanted it to hold… even at over 2”, it still felt very solid, and was hard to break in the ashtray..
The first phase of the cigar was a little hard to pull.. not plugged, but in order to get a good amount of smoke out of it, I often had to double puff and pull hard on it … it tasted good, I could detect some almonds in the back of my mouth…. A slight tingle was present in the finish of the cigar, which was more long then medium … not a very smoky start, but a very tasty one..
As the cigar burned down, the tingle that I had earlier felt on my tongue started to become more and more present. The almonds had disappeared, and strong woody flavours came out.. cedar notes, and burned wood notes were present ..I could taste some of the muddy tones I had felt during my pre-light draw… the cigar started giving me more smoke, and the pull had eased up a bit at that stage, although it wasn’t smoking as opulently as I would’ve expected….
As the cigar was nearing it’s 3rd phase, the tingle had change into full blown pepper… very, very, VERY strong peppery hints… I don’t remember when’s the last time a cigar made my tongue feel that way.. it was as if I had cracked a grain of black pepper on the tip of my tongue… even as I slowed my puffing down to allow the smoke to cool, the pepper notes continued to intensify as I was nearing the band of the cigar, becoming “almost” intolerable towards the last half inch…
Over all, I’d say the cigar had a medium to long finish (closer to long though).. provided a decent amount of smoke and tasted good… very different than a regular Trinidad (whether a coloniales or a robusto extra).. my only complaint, is the strong pepper sting towards the end…. I guess the cigar can benefit from some age, as the spiciness will definitely mellow down after spending some time in deep sleep….
I’d rate this cigar an 89 for now….. but I’m definitely looking forward to revisiting them in about 6 months…
I've been waiting for your review, Sal, Thanks! I love the construction of these dark, thin sticks. I also appreciate the mention of it being the first Trinidad ELs on a paper inside the box, just another plus for collecters.
Aaah, salibas, you're killing me... I'm getting my box on Monday, and now after your review how am I going to wait that long, and then again a week or two to have them sit in my humidor?! ...
Originally posted by salibas007: hey VO.... although the spiciness was too much for me, you might not think the same...
You bet - I love spicy cigars! Mine are going to be from the same batch that yours. And you know why Thanks a lot for helping me almost a month ago. I just had to wait with ordering to make sure they don't stay outside humidor for too long - ordered closer to my traveling friend's arrival date. Happy herfing!
Hey salibas, do these look familiar to you Finally got'em. Now I armed myself with some patience - I'm constantly telling myself that I should wait for at least 3 weeks. Well, maybe two. But no way less than one... Just out of interest placed one to a Fundie to see how they compare... visually. Can't wait to compare them tastewise.
but let me tell you something.. if you've smoked lots of aged cigars over the years, you'll know in a second that this cigar has a huge potential... if you think they're great out the box, get ready to have your mind COMPLETELY blown away if you manage to stash a couple of Ingenios for 2, 3 or even 4 years....
I had this special smoke first time on this special today (Christmas today for us!) and would like to share some impressions. First, those almost identical with salibas:
quote:
The first phase of the cigar was a little hard to pull.. not plugged, but in order to get a good amount of smoke out of it, I often had to double puff and pull hard on it … it tasted good, I could detect some almonds in the back of my mouth…. A slight tingle was present in the finish of the cigar, which was more long then medium … not a very smoky start, but a very tasty one..
except that I likened it more to hazelnut than almond, and it would come and go all the way almost to the end. Was more like an aftertaste (very distinct I should say) after blowing the smoke out, which would appear, then disappear for some time, then again...
quote:
As the cigar was nearing it’s 3rd phase, the tingle had change into full blown pepper… very, very, VERY strong peppery hints… I don’t remember when’s the last time a cigar made my tongue feel that way.. ... becoming “almost” intolerable towards the last half inch…
Well, it's true the peppery spice was absolutely there. Along with cedary wood and, at times, fresh floral overtones. But Sal, I really had spicier CC's, like some of the Cohiba and RyJ. I can see two alternative explanations: either our taste buds/palates are very different (yours being more sensitive), or the additional month for mine made a difference. These beauties are very young and as far as I know in the very early life of cigar a month may play a role.
Also, it was a very smooth smoke, no harshnes, and to me it was medium strength with rich and full flavors.
Finally, I agree about the aging potential. At the very least, the oils are certainly there...
Anyway, it was a very enjoyable smoke - worth every penny I paid, and pretty sure will improve with time.
------- "And it is not just a business. It’s a love affair." Paul B.K. Garmirian about making cigars
hey VO.... merry x-mas (are you armenian ?? .. if yes, then inch pezes ?? )
nice review of the Ingenios... i'll be smoking one over the next few weeks.. I'll compare it to how it stands vs the one I had last month and your tasting notes....
Fired one yesterday to celebrate my birthday. Seemed to me flavors have become more intense and complex. Can't bet though, the previuos one I smoked was in January, so memories aren't too fresh. But if so, strange... shouldn't they still be in sick period? Imagine what would they become in a year or three!
One complaint though; not the best burn and draw. Otherwise - top notch!
------- "And it is not just a business. It’s a love affair." Paul B.K. Garmirian about making cigars
Normally when I read a review by an experienced smoker the score is something you can almost guess after reading the review. However, for some reason your review reads a little lower than 89. Just an meaningless observation...
Posts: 613 | Location: Alabama | Registered: November 09, 2006
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Now I armed myself with some patience - I'm constantly telling myself that I should wait for at least 3 weeks. Well, maybe two. But no way less than one... 
