Nub Connecticut 464 Torpedo – Cigar Review

Nub Connecticut 464T – Cigar Review

Size: 4x 64 Torpedo

Blend:

Wrapper: Ecuadorian seed Connecticut
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua

 

 

Construction: The construction of this stumpy little bullet was brilliant; a firm pack which was consistent along the length with not a single lump or bump. The taper of the torpedo was so well made through the triple cap that it looked as if it had been turned on a wood lathe rather than rolled, the appearance of this stick oozed quality. The oily smooth wrapper had barely visible seams due to no inconsistencies in colour and being so delicate and thin.

Smell: Wrapper; On the wrapper I picked up dry grass with a very smooth white pepper which excited the nostrils while still being very subtle. The foot was very similar to the wrapper in smell with the addition of the slightest amount of vanilla.

Cold Draw: Made a 7mm cut on the taper to discover even with this tightly packed rocket a perfect draw. Flavours on the draw consisted primarily of dry grass with slight amounts of white pepper and a barely noticeable caramel.

First light:

BOOM! A big blast of robust but refined white pepper all about the mouth with a touch of green grass. The white pepper was huge on the first light from this stick but it coupled with plumes of creamy thick smoke that deposited a pleasant oil onto the palate which smoothed off the pepper to make it feel elegant rather than overpowering and jagged as spice can be on first lights.

First 3^rd 10min

Body was light to medium. As the cigar warmed up and progressed I saw the white pepper start to pull back to a pleasant level which revealed a green grass and subtle lemon like acidity; all of which was surrounded by a toasty like character. The cigar was still producing plumes of creamy thick smoke with the oil on the palate.

As the first third progressed the burn started to concern me as there was a scallop starting to run down the side of this cigar, at that stage I was blaming the wind blowing.

Second 3^rd – 25min

The second third of this stick saw no change in body and a nice transition in flavour. The white pepper pulled back further into the background, the smoke got thicker and creamier to the stage it was saliva thickening, like a dessert. The flavours overtaking the white pepper were green grass, the lemon was replaced with toasted white bread.

The second 3^rd saw the burn further degrade to a line best represented by a dog’s hind leg. The stick required constant attention and touch-ups to maintain this stick in smoking condition.  I was inclined to say by that stage it was a construction issue rather than a breeze.

At this stage I managed to stand the stick up on its ash at the half way point, only to have it blow over before I could get a photo. Bugger!

Third 3^rd 40 min

The third 3^rd saw no significant change in flavour from the second, the smoke was still thick and creamy while imparting a lot of oil onto the palate which I found quite enjoyable.

The start of the third saw an early onset of heat which I accredit to the 140,000 touch-ups +/- I had to perform to keep the burn on this stick resembling something reasonable.

As the third progressed the heat started to overtake the light smooth flavour profile offered by this stick.

Moving into the end of this stick the burn improved significantly, the cigar had done its dash, the heat had set in and it was too late to forgive this stick for its sins. The stick was retired at 50 minutes.

Overall this cigar is a tasty mild stick that I tend to enjoy. This individual stick I used for the review does not represent Nubs typical burn characteristics. I’ve smoked 40+ of these Connecticut’s and this individual stick with its burn issues just let me down and IMO ruined the whole experience. You could confidentially pick one of these up and be sure it will not act like this stick.

Suggested pairings for this little bullet would be a wet and crisp Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.

Thanks for reading,

Whisgars

 

 

Oliva Serie V Double Robusto Natural - Cigar Review

Oliva Serie V Double Robusto Natural - Cigar Review

From the Humidor at 68%, Time in 1 month 2 weeks

Size: 5x54

Blend: The Serie V features a Nicaraguan Habano Sun Grown wrapper over a Nicaraguan binders and fillers.

Construction: Minor pronounced veins, barely visible seams, and a triple cap. The slightly oily wrapper is a reddish brown which has a velvet like smoothness about it. The pack is reasonably firm and consistent along the length with no lumps or bumps.

Smell; Wrapper, Dry hay with minute amounts of chilli with manure. Foot; dry hay and fish food (flakes) which was interesting to come across. I attempted to verify my discovery with Kim, Fish food confirmed.

Cold draw: Punched, Flavours on the cold draw consisted of chilli spice on the tip of the tongue and about the lips also dry grass and fish food. At this stage I thought this stick was growing whiskers…. Onward!!!

First Light: On the first light I was hit with devastating amounts of cayenne pepper, no other flavours could be identified over this vindaloo. After 30 seconds my whole mouth and throat was burning with cayenne pepper. Wow!

Smoke production was good with lots of thick dry smoke.

First 3^rd-14 min

The body is full due to the massive amounts of cayenne pepper which fortunately has scaled back from devastating to a level that I could almost endure, by this stage the pepper literally had made it to my stomach and was warming me like a cask strength whisky gulped down neat. There were flavours hiding behind the pepper which consisted of wood and tobacco.

I foolishly attempted to retrohale, present were the fires of hell and cayenne pepper.

The burn during the first third was a bit wild with a 10mm canoe on the back side which forced me to touch up the stick. 

Second 3^rd - 37min

The pepper kept dialling down but was still overwhelming, the tobacco and wood flavours timidly hiding in the background were getting a little bigger, probably as a result of the pepper getting smaller. The second 3rd exhibited no significant changes from the first, the stick still had a wild burn.

Third 3^rd – 55min

Started getting some heat which came on fast and strong, when the heat appeared the cayenne pepper disappeared and the tobacco flavour went bitter. The burn improved significantly during the third 3^rd.

A couple of minutes later the heat became overwhelming and I had to retire the stick at 1 hour 6 min with 55mm remaining.

I don’t know what to say about this stick other then it was heinously offensive.

To be fair I think it was a dud stick, this could in no way be representative of a popular line of cigars. Nobody in this world could go looking for a flavour profile of a Mumbai gutter.

I would like to get another one of these to actually experience the Oliva Serie V line as it’s supposed to be.

No suggested pairings other than counselling.

Oliva Serie O Robusto Maduro – Cigar Review

Oliva Serie O Robusto Maduro – Cigar Review

Size: 5x50 Robusto

From the humidor at 68%, at 1 month 2 weeks.

Blend: Northern Nicaraguan Puro, bale aged 5 years wrapped in a Light maduro wrapper.

Construction: Mottled dark chocolate brown, oily wrapper. The wrapper appeared to be quite thick with very visible seams and one very pronounced vein. During inspection I noted one small split in the wrapper just near the band point, didn’t appear to be anything serious, although noteworthy as they tend to worsen as the cherry approaches.

This stick had a very firm pack consistently from the foot through head, no soft spots, lumps or bumps. Of interest was how light the maduro wrapper was, typically I associate maduro’s with a very dark black wrapper, this was close but definitely not black. This stick appeared to be made to a high standard, like most Oliva cigars, with a double cap.

Smell: Wrapper, Rich dark chocolate (eating not cooking chocolate) dry grass and the classic maduro manure.

Foot: Hay & manure.

Cold draw: Punched, Loose draw, Flavours consisted of wet hay and creamy dark chocolate with very buttery aftertaste.

First Light:

Flavours on the light consisted of a good dose of black pepper which spread throughout the mouth and throat very quickly, hidden behind the pepper there was a woody flavour coupled with a lightly aged tobacco taste. The retrohale consisted primarily of black pepper and wood; not cedar but more of a timber taste. It had good smoke production with a run of the mill smoke consistency; not moist and not dry, not thick and not thin. Just good ‘ole smoke 

Aroma: Tobacco and wood.

First 3^rd – 11 min

Body: Med-full

The first third was dominated by black pepper which smoothed out a little since the initial light.  The other flavours present were a very obvious tobacco with leather and wood in the background. I managed to lose the ash at around 10mm because I was jovially bopping to Otis Reddings “I’m coming home to see about you” and knocked out of the ashtray and onto the floor. Good on ya Otis.

I found myself looking at this stick after every draw like somehow it was going to relinquish its secrets to me, I found it challenging to identify all the flavours hiding behind the black pepper.

The stick exhibited a perfect burn apart from a few minutes after I lost the ash; I blame the music. 

As the first third progressed the black pepper continued to smooth out and the smoke was getting more moist and thick and was developing a creamy feel.

Second 3^rd - 30 min

Body - Solid medium

The black pepper kept dialling down and started to lose its dominance over the rest of the bouquet, the tobacco flavour shifted to the front, the leather and wood became more obvious which I credit to a reduction in the pepper rather than in increase in presence. 

The stick exhibited a more than acceptable burn with around 5mm of variance.  As the burn approached the chink in the wrapper, the wrapper started to lift slightly; no cause for concern as yet but I grew concerned it was going eventuate in a blowout.

 As I approached the damage the wrapper opened up the burn went wild and suddenly the stick extinguished itself. I had to go in for the dreaded relight, relighting introduced some heat and mouldy flavours.

I really try to avoid having to relight and touch up cigars as in my opinion it really has the capacity to vandalise the character of a cigar and quickly reduce the enjoyment had from smoking it.

A few minutes after relighting the mould and heat disappeared and we were back to business as usual.

Third 3^rd 48min

On the bad and just passed through the damage on the wrapper after relighting. The burn came back to a very acceptable level.

The black pepper shifted further into the background and the tobacco taste started to sweeten and give rise to a sweet dark chocolate lurking deep in the background. The gentle hints of leather and wood remained consistent.

The smoke consistency transitioned into a thick creamy smoke that deposited a slight buttery oil onto the palate. The burn further improved into a near razor sharp line, gently saw toothing at times when left to rest. 

1hour 5 min

As the third 3^rd progress this smoke finally let me have it, the pepper totally disappeared, the tobacco sweetened which was complimented by the chocolate flavour emerging. The old faithful wood and leather that gave this stick some depth at the start had remained unchanged.

This flavour shift late in the 3^rd came as a real pleasant surprise to me, the change in smoke consistency and shift in flavour really changed the demeanour of this stick from abruptly savoury to a more enjoyable refined sweet stick.

I believe with a bit age on this stick one might be lucky enough to coax the benefits realised late in the third 3^rd further up the stick.

I enjoyed this stick from mid 1^st third all the way to the nub, I fell in love with this stick mid third 3^rd after its metamorphosis.

On the whole this has been another ripper of a stick from Oliva; brilliant construction, smoking and an interesting bouquet of flavours. The whole of Oliva’s Serie O seems to be a classy line of medium to full bodies sticks.

Suggested paring: A rich sweet whisky, Dalmore 12, Cigar malt, The Balvenie DoubleWood or Macallan Sherry Oak 18.

 

Thanks for reading!

-Whisgars