Cigar Geeks - Foundation Cigar Co. The Tabernacle Havana Seed CT No. 142 Toro

Cigar Geeks Geek Critique

Foundation Cigar Co. The Tabernacle Havana Seed CT No. 142 Toro
Written by Cigar Geeks Member: Gary (headfirst)

87
Cigar Geeks Rating

As the name of this cigar would suggest, the wrapper is Havana Seed CT #142, a variation of a Cuban-seed tobacco grown in Connecticut. Much of the rest of the line is shared with the original Tabernacle: the same filler components and the same four sizes. That means a Mexican San Andrés binder over a blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers, though Nicholas Melillo has said there is less Honduran tobacco than the original line.

Foundation Cigar Co. The Tabernacle Havana Seed CT No. 142 Toro

Brand:: Foundation Cigar Co.
Name:: The Tabernacle Havana Seed CT No. 142 Toro
Length:: 6
Ring Gauge:: 52
Country of Origin:: Nicaragua
Filler:: Honduras
Nicaragua
Binder:: Mexico
Wrapper:: Connecticut
Habano
Color:: Oscuro
Strength:: Medium-Full
Shape:: Toro
Average Member Purchase Price:: $9.13
Average Member Rating:: (1 Review(s))
Notes:: https://halfwheel.com/foundation-ships-tabernacle-havana-seed-ct-142/286254/

This cigar was enjoyed with Oak & Eden Wheat & Spire Bourbon Whiskey

Pre-Light: 10 Points of 10 Possible

Dark maduro color with a classy band whose colors compliment the darker wrapper with maroon and gold accents. Wrapper aroma is sweet hay and a little cocoa. Medium oil sheen that sparkles here and there under light so it has some age to it, slightly toothy texture. Firm cigar, no soft spots. Pack on the foot shows fairly tight pack with potential stems. No major veining on the wrapper. The cigar presents well and the weight feels about right for a cigar of this size. Double cap from what I can tell, took a double V cut flawlessly.

Lighting and Burn: 13 Points of 15 Possible

Initial light is flawless, no trouble getting an even light. Light grey ash without a single flake that held on easily to 1.5 inches until I tapped it. Initial smoke volume is a solid medium to full and stayed pretty consistent throughout. Burn started to wobble a little after the first inch but with a little accelerated puffing it recovered on its own. Burn was straight for the most part with little wobbles here and there.

Construction: 27 Points of 30 Possible

Cold draw is spicy and bitter and has some resistance, a little more than I prefer. Using my perfectdraw tool I bored in about 3/4 inch and that was enough to loosen the draw to having just a touch of resistance. Draw actually tightened up a little bit in the early going from the more open cold draw but it held steady at a reasonable amount of resistance. The wrapper and the cap were flawless, no issues during the burn whatsoever even with purging after every ash tap which can sometimes cause wrapper issues from the pressure. All in all, very good construction.

Flavor and Aroma: 37 Points of 45 Possible

First puffs are earth and pepper dominant much like the cold draw and medium to full bodied right from the get-go. I even get a little bit of peat in there. The retrohale is pure spice with a little woodiness. The pepper finish is long. Aroma off the foot is quite nice, oak and floral mostly. 1/2 inch in and the peat becomes more prominent, about even with the spice and earth. Leather joins the party and the peat retreats to the finish but is still there. The retrohale is getting more balanced with a little more sweet wood to balance the spice. Pepper fades to the finish and is more like cinnamon now that a slight sweetness is creeping in to the profile. Lots of flavor movement in that first inch but seems to be settling in to a nice balance of leather, earth, and spice. Second third brought some bitterness and I spot some tar buildup at the head. Cut off the nubs left by the double V cut and the bitterness has subsided. Retrohale has taken on some baking spices, a nice change. The cigar has gotten notably smoother since the second cut as well. The spice returns to the forefront at the onset of the final third. The tar bitterness returns soon after, gave it one more cut which helped. Toward the nub the retrohale turns more sweet, like an Anejo, a nice change. Strength was medium to full throughout. Smoke time: 2 hours

Summary

Overall a well performing medium to full cigar with some nice transitions that was a pleasure to smoke although a couple cuts were needed to fight tar on the head. Thanks to Byron for sponsoring this one, I was glad to try it and would smoke one again.