Cigar Geeks - La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial #3

Cigar Geeks Geek Critique

La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial #3
Written by Cigar Geeks Member: Peter (junglepete)

91
Cigar Geeks Rating

Welcome to another Cigar Geeks Critique of a cigar provided to us by our friends at Cigars Direct. Up for review this time is the La Aroma de Cuba.

La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial #3

Brand:: La Aroma de Cuba
Name:: Edicion Especial #3
Length:: 6
Ring Gauge:: 50
Country of Origin:: Nicaragua
Filler:: Nicaragua
Binder:: Nicaragua
Wrapper:: Ecuador
Color:: Colorado Maduro
Strength:: Medium-Full
Shape:: Toro
Average Member Rating:: (6 Review(s))
Notes:: http://www.ashtoncigar.com/La-Aroma-de-Cuba-Edicion-Especial.jsp

This cigar was enjoyed with Brandy

Pre-Light: 19 Points of 10 Possible

This was a good looking cigar wearing a nice milk chocolate colored wrapper. It was more dry than oily and gave off a beautiful aroma of honey, mild farmland manure, and sweet hay. There were a few small veins coming through that gave the wrapper a bit of a bumpy feel to it, although it was still firmly packed and seemed to be rolled with expertise. The cap was dead center and held up quite well to the cut. The prelight draw was exactly to my liking and kicked out a touch of pepper, cedar, and earthy tobacco flavors. The foot was swelling slightly but I take full responsibility for that because it probably froze in the mailbox and then I popped it in the humi a little too quick. I took one point off for the few noticable bumps. By the way, IMO the band is one of the nicer looking bands out there: two old fashioned looking cherub faced woman in the countryside with lots of scrolls and emblems. So far so good.

Lighting and Burn: 13 Points of 15 Possible

The burn on this stick was razor sharp until the 2nd third. At that time it required a minor touch-up to keep from tunneling and again once more in the last third. The draw was perfect throughout the whole smoke and pumped out awesome clouds. Though the ash looked tight in the beginning, it seemed to want to let go after the first inch. Since I wasn't confident about it not falling into my book I tapped it off easily after every inch. The ash color was light grey and the cigar burned nice and slow and cool, and took me the better part of 90 minutes to smoke. I took 2 points off for the required touch-ups.

Construction: 27 Points of 30 Possible

As mentioned above, the draw was perfect for the entire smoke and deserves full points for that. I found the wrapper to be a bit delicate at times and it started to let go around the cap once the head got juicy. It also flaked a bit on the re-lights and slightly burst near the band. Again, perhaps the burst was not the cigars fault after the freezing weather. I took 3 points off for the small wrapper issues not counting the burst.

Flavor and Aroma: 32 Points of 45 Possible

The first third of this smoke threw out some toasted almond and spice tastes, a nice combo I thought. Though very smooth and nutty, a medium-bodied kick left the spice unsually planted in the back of the throat as opposed to the tongue. It was an interesting change of pace for me.

The second third was similar to the first but less nutty and more leathery, and still delivered the peppery spice but slightly more subtle. I am really enjoying this easy and unintimidating cigar. It kind of draws you in and manages to hold your attention without paying too much attention to it.

The last third really reminded me of the Cuban Cohibas I've tried in the past. All the flavors intensified without loosing their consistent smoothness, and there was a distinct Cuban essence going on topped off with a bit of a salty finish. I felt the last third moving from medium to medium-full bodied with a little nicotine kick in the end. I really enjoyed the aftertaste of this smoke well after it was done. Interestingly enough, there was some complexity here but not so much as to say that is was quite a complex cigar. By the end of it I felt maybe a Robusto size might have suited me better in that it seemed a little long to nub it.

Summary

This is a cigar made for Ashton by Pepin Garcia. It deems a wrapper grown by the Oliva Tobacco Company and filler grown from Cuban seed. Now there is a combination that can't help but produce something good. And so it did: a very enjoyable cigar that was well made and full of fine flavors and interesting nuances. I would easily try another one of these and believe that the price range for a single stick sits around $7.50-$9.00