Cigar Geeks Geek Critique
91
Cigar Geeks Rating
|
Welcome to another Member sponsored Geek Critique generously sponsored by our member Beegerply (Byron). The cigar provided for this round is the http://www.cigargeeks.com/cigardb/default.asp?action=showcig&cigar_id=195976">Dissident Tirade (2020).
Revitalized in 2019, Dissident cigars returned after a four-year hiatus, having changed ownership and moved production to Black Label Trading Company's Fábrica Oveja Negra. With updated artwork and reworked blends, Dissident cigars prioritizes quality components and construction, utilizing traditional methods but with a rebellious approach that defies complacency.
The Tirade cigar is a single-vitola line, offered in a 5.5" x 46 Corona Gorda size, and comprises a Mexican San Andrés wrapper with an Ecuadorian binder and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Though not a special-edition series, the Tirade isn't a regular-production cigar from Dissident and instead is created in small batches at a slightly greater frequency than what Dissident would consider pure, special-edition lines.
|
|
|
|
This cigar was enjoyed with Buffalo Trace Bourbon
Pre-Light: 8 Points of 10 Possible
Pre-light is always a decent gauge of the overall quality of the cigar that I am about to indulge in. The wrapper was of a matte finish and smooth with very light veins throughout. I could immediately tell that this cigar had been from the original release in 2020; the wrapper was well covered in a slight bit of plume and from what I could tell, was very well kept. The triple cap was a bit uneven and looked a bit thrown together which led to some slight splintering but thankfully, no unravelling. Overall, it was a well constructed cigar that was not too tight. Pre-light aromas were very pleasant and included cedar, honey and clove with a really nice baking spice.
Lighting and Burn: 15 Points of 15 Possible
The burn was also absolutely flawless, with no wave to it. Dare I say, it was one of the best burning cigars that I have smoked, and that is saying something. The ash was also super solid. I only had to actually ash the cigar twice during the whole smoke. The ash was of a dark gray color with lines of almost bright white for the duration of the smoke. Burn rate was nice and slow which led to an hour and a half cigar and one that certainly should be savored. Smoke volume was very nice and the stick did not need any re-lighting or probing.
Construction: 26 Points of 30 Possible
The construction was very good, with the exception of the triple cap. In examining the foot of the cigar prior to lighting, it was very well rolled and packed with the different fillers of various colors being distributed nicely. One drawback here was the presence of several thick stems rolled into the filler. The cap was again a bit flawed and did not produce any unraveling with an exception to the afore mentioned splintering. The draw was perfect throughout the whole smoke and there was no deforming of the cigar at any point.
Flavor and Aroma: 42 Points of 45 Possible
Upon lighting, there was a really nice cedar and spice to the cigar. Right after the initial pop, the cigar mellowed to a nice medium with some hits of spice and pepper but with a nice, deep flavor of cedar and some honey sweetness in the background. Somewhat surprising to me was a bit of a caramel hint. At one point, I swore that I was smoking a smore-cigar without it getting all over the place and my kids begging me for some. It was really nice on a very warm fall day. As I progressed to the 2nd third, I noticed that the flavors were intensifying slightly but without one becoming too dominant. The cigar was just wonderfully balanced throughout with really nice cedar and earthy flavors with just a dash of sweetness. The cigar progressed to a bit more full bodied profile for the final third without becoming too harsh.
Overall, it was a pleasant smoke from start to finish. The only criticism is that it was just slightly monotone with very few changes, but when you start off really well, why should it change too much. It had, however, a very good retrohale during the whole smoke. Some cigars are over-powering or cloying. This one was anything but. The quality of the blend really shone through and the expertise utilized in crafting the blend was extremely evident throughout the entirety of the smoke.
Summary
I would like to thank Byron a ton for selecting a great cigar for this month's critique and for selecting me as a reviewer. This truly was a cigar that I was looking forward to spending time reviewing and it certainly did not disappoint in the least. It was worth every minute of the time to enjoy. This one is highly recommended, if you can find some originals. As it has been described as a small batch, but not LE, I cannot comment on any newer releases of this cigar, but this one was very good.
|
|
(1 Review(s))