I sat and looked at it at first because I was a little intimidated because it’s been the “Holy Grail” for me…
The build was nice but, to me it seems compared to the BHK line, the BHK build is slightly prettier.
I sniffed the cigar and it had a real nice smell, toasty and and got a hint of cocoa.
I cut it and took a draw and the draw was just about perfect, not too loose. I could taste hints of grass, cocoa and nuttiness.
I carefully toasted the foot and lit the GR with a soft flame.
Lighting this cigar was quick and easy.
Upon first draw, lots of nice thick smoke…I could taste the smoothness right away. It tasted exactly like it smelled a little grassy, a hint again of cocoa (no i wasn’t eating or drinking chocolate) and nutty.
There was no taste of pepper at all no harshness whatsoever.
1/3 perfect draw…a light/medium bodied cigar with a some sweetness and toasty flavors, some coffee flavor and still smooth…
2/3 still right on…decent burn ash fell off right at about the 1/3. It was so good I was catching myself hitting it fast making it hot. I had to slow down and it smoothed out again. The smoothness and creaminess of the cigar remained, there was almost like a fruitiness coming through but, not sure which type. The burn wasn’t perfect so I had to fix it once in but, that could have been my fault too. It was subtle up to this point.
last third…I was waiting for the cigar to get peppery but instead, the flavors remained but were amplified. The creaminess and smoothness were magnificent. There was no harshness to this cigar whatsoever throughout the cigar. I literally smoked this to the nub and even down to the nub it was consistent in the flavor profile…just a bit stronger at the end.
I WILL be doing this cigar again…I just need to get my hands on a couple more.
I know there are many people that laugh at the price and such and the price isn’t anything to sneeze at but, I loved it. It was more than twice the price of my, much loved, BHK54 but not twice the cigar. I don’t mean that in a bad way. IMHO the price of cigars after about $50 the difference is subtle and if you can appreciate those subtleties it is worth it. Sorry it’s such a long post and it doesn’t make sense.
Short and sweet…
I loved it.
By: Gerald
Gerald,
I have to agree with you on all points of the review. It has been about one year since I smoked the first of three CGRs that I acquired. Yes the cost gave me a long pause before completing the purchase, but I was drawn in part by all of the hype and then more largely by the fact that I really trusted the reviewers who said it was the best they had ever smoked. I understand that some have said that a Siglo VI with a few years on it is as good or possibly better. Respectfully, I submit that they may not have ever had a CGR, so they cannot make such claims. It isn’t something to smoke on the porch where an errant breeze might rush the burn or worse cause it to go crooked. I can only repeat what has already been stated with regard to the flavor profile and the perfection of the burn and draw.
As to whether or not it is worth the asking price, I am not a wealthy man, in fact I have been unemployed for more than two years now and I was unemployed when I bought the three CGRs. Nonetheless, when I think of the price of a meal at a fine restaurant, which takes about as long to enjoy and will eventually be flushed from my system without ceremony yet still remembered with the greatest affection, I can say yes because I still have two left. If nothing else, they have received the very best of care in my humidor nestled amongst half a box of Montecristo Sublime LEs. The Montecristos are also among the very best I have ever smoked, but if the CGRs rate a 10 in my book, the Montes are a distant 8.
When I next enjoy one for my upcoming October birthday, I hope to be indoors at my favorite cigar bar and I will pair it with a very good cognac. I hope I will be celebrating employment once again also. I just don’t know if I will ever find another cigar in which I will be willing to invest funds better spent elsewhere.
I have no remorse.
Mason