Cigar Geeks - Xikar HC Series Habano Colorado Petite Corona

Cigar Geeks Geek Critique

Xikar HC Series Habano Colorado Petite Corona
Written by Cigar Geeks Member: Eddie (BlackIrish)

91
Cigar Geeks Rating

Welcome to another Cigar Geeks Critique of a vitola provided to us by our friends at Xikar Cigars. Up for review this time is the Xikar HC Series Habano Colorado Petite Corona. A special thanks goes out to Nathan (nwb) for setting this one up.

Xikar HC Series Habano Colorado Petite Corona

Brand:: Xikar
Name:: HC Series Habano Colorado Petite Corona
Length:: 4.5
Ring Gauge:: 44
Country of Origin:: Nicaragua
Filler:: Costa Rica
Honduras
Nicaragua
Binder:: Nicaragua
Wrapper:: Nicaragua
Color:: Colorado Maduro
Strength:: Medium-Full
Shape:: Petit Corona
Average Member Rating:: (3 Review(s))

This cigar was enjoyed with Sparkling water

Pre-Light: 18 Points of 10 Possible

Nice! The glossy colorado wrapper leaf looks very inviting -- it's oily, with medium veins and no flaws to be seen. The aroma is all barnyard, deep and rich, with a slight touch of pepper. It's solidly packed, firm but resilient to the pinch, and clips easily. The cold draw is on the tight side of perfect, with more peppery barnyard notes. My only complaint: it was hard to remove the band at the foot, and I was worried about damaging the wrapper leaf.

Lighting and Burn: 14 Points of 15 Possible

This petite corona lights easily. The burn is impressive: laser straight, with virtually no wobble, and a very firm, stubborn ash. Put away your lighter, as no relights or even touchups are necessary. Smoking time was about 40 mins, longer than I expected for this pc. The smoke volume is good, although the draw is a bit tight.

Construction: 28 Points of 30 Possible

Xikar is known for the quality of its cutters, and apparently they made sure that the cigar that bears their name is of comparable craftmanship. From the oily, well-wrapped capa to the very even burn to the tight biscuit ash, it's evident that this cigar was made by a skilled torcedor.

Flavor and Aroma: 31 Points of 45 Possible

I got big flavor from this petite cigar. There was a good rush of pepper right out of the gate, layered over an earthy core with a finish that tended toward the sweet. The pepper recedes after a few minutes, and the dark flavors move to the fore. It's hard to analyze this small stick in the traditional thirds, but over the core of damp rich earth I found notes of coffee, some pleasantly bitter espresso and stout. I got a couple of hints of molasses and black licorice, and I could taste the nicotine strength. It had decent complexity for its size.

Summary

An impressive little cigar, offering full-bodied flavor in a small package. In that sense it reminds me of the flavorful Cuban petit coronas and minutos, espeically the Bolivar petit corona and Partagas short. The flavor profile is different from those, but it's a treat to find a non-Cuban short moke that delivers rich flavor.