La Escepcion 2009
Thanks to the General Cigar Company for sending me a few samples of the La Escepcion 2009 to try. From what I could gather, this is a limited release cigar. In other words, they will be available until the supply is depleted. I paired this cigar with water (as always) and here are my thoughts.
Wrapper: Honduran Habano Talanga
Binder: Ometepe Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Batet 5 x 54
Price: Around $6.00
Pre-Smoke & Construction:
While not perfect, the wrapper was nice looking with small to medium veins. The color was a little blotchy with a slight toothy appearance. The smell of the wrapper and foot was just a simple sweet earthiness. The pre-light draw had some resistance, but wasn’t bad. The pre-light flavor was sweet natural earthy tobacco. When squeezing the cigar, I found a few tight and soft spots, but nothing I would consider bad construction.
The burn required one minor correction in the second third, and the ash held for once inch.
Flavor:
The first third didn’t offer a lot of complexities. The dominant flavor was coffee, followed by spicy notes of pepper and hints of earth. As I dug further in, the earthy notes would come and go.
The smoke became creamy in the second third. The main flavors were coffee and wood. Hints of earthy notes were far in the background, while a dry sweetness enveloped the entire flavor profile. The spice reduced in strength.
Creamy smoke coated the inside of the mouth in the last third with a buttery aftertaste. The woody and coffee components continued to dominate the flavor profile. A dry mocha-ish flavor was present and varied in strength. All the while wisps of earthiness would come and go. The spice became almost non existent but hints remained.
Conclusion:
This was a good medium bodied cigar. Although not overly complex, the subtle changes held my interest. While I wouldn’t go out of my way to find this cigar, I think they are worth trying. I say pick a few up and see for yourself.