Body: light cocoa, paper, slight hint of spice
Cold draw: red bell pepper, damp earth, musty
Draw: loose, 2/5
First impressions: black pepper, strong cocoa, dense smoke and a pleasing body
First third: dark roast black coffee, rich cocoa, black pepper
2nd third: At the turn, I get a slight mineral bitterness, but it quickly disappears. Rich cocoa and black coffee return, now with a little sweetness. Smoke production remains lush, and a rich, buttery texture develops, coating my tongue and leaving a long finish after each puff.
As the cocoa subsides, I get rich marbled rye bread and butter. It reminds me of steakhouse bread served with salted butter, a savory-sweet turn that I particularly enjoy.
Final third: The spice increases as the bread-and-butter notes fade, while cocoa remains. That cocoa note from the San Andrés wrapper has been a consistent thread, tying the coffee-led opening to the buttery middle and spicier finish.
I paired this cigar with a Yuengling Oktoberfest. Based on that pairing, I would also consider another German-style Märzen beer.
From the review
