The
Black-
A superb
Habano wrapper adorns this quality cigar. The Black has a semi-oily
finish to it with slight veining. Manufactured in the Dominican, it
has a Nicaraguan Rosado binder and a filler made of Dominican and
Nicaraguan ligeros, Brazilian viso, and a unique tobacco called Dark
Fire. While the technique is not all that well known to me, I do know
that the tobacco used for the Dark Fire is fire cured, which gives it
a smoked whiskey aroma.
When you
light up The Black, it has a smooth draw giving off glimpses of
fruit, nuts, and slight hay tones. I found a hint of mint and the
whiskey aroma was quite evident; I even tasted it on the palette.
Halfway through, the flavors have been pretty consistent
intermingling back and forth. The cigar, so far, is a medium body and
has an easy smooth draw requiring minimal amounts of effort.
The
final half of the cigar has spices, green pepper, coffee, hints of
cinnamon, and an ever so light mint aftertaste. This is a cigar that
is sure to please cigar smokers of all types. With well balanced
smooth consistent flavors and pleasant spice and whiskey aromas that
even the most discrimination cigar connoisseur would enjoy.
The
White-
A simple
band encases the African Sun Grown wrapper. It has a dark and rich
looking wrapper with a semi-matte finish to it. The rest of the cigar
is made up of a binder from Ecuador and a filler of Nicaraguan Ligero
with Seco leaves from Pennsylvania. A nice touch for Sam as he is
from Pittsburgh.
A bold
peppery start that lasts for a few seconds gives way to a pleasant
walnut and cashew tone. About an inch of the way in, the peppery
tones start to return. I caught a glimpse of fruit that reminded me
of apricots, but quickly disappeared. A full third of the way in,
bold spicy tones with notes of light coffee emerge leaving a pleasant
aftertaste on the palette.
Entering
the halfway mark, earthy notes, spices, and a richer coffee tone come
front and center. The tone remains consistent throughout the
remainder of the smoke. The draw is very good and the burn was
consistent, never having to retouch. This cigar is classified as a
full bodied cigar, but I would classify it more of a medium body that
borders full body. Well balanced and a great smoke, to say the least.
I was able to keep an ash on it all the way to the band, with no
problem. If you're looking for a quality cigar that won't break the
bank, then this is a must have cigar. You'll enjoy the loads of
flavor that offers a peppery kick on the back half of the cigar.
If you
have had any doubts about trying these cigars, rest assured, they
won't disappoint. Wrapping things up, I thought you would like to
hear a little more about the blends from Sam himself. Here are some
excerpts my from interview.
How does it finally feel to be back
in the cigar industry? I
can't even explain the excitement I feel. It is a dream come true. I
couldn't be happier right now. I have been blown away by the
tremendous amount of support. I LOVE being back!
Can you tell us more about the two
lines you just released? I
wanted to introduce two cigars that would be very different from each
other. I thought the best way to achieve that was to use two
different factories in two different countries. Both blends are very
unique, not only did I blend these cigars, but I sourced the tobacco
for them as well. The white is made in Nicaragua and uses an African
Sungrown wrapper with a Habano binder. The filler consists of full
flavor Ligeros from both Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Also,
I have added some Pennsylvania Seco to add a bit of sweetness to the
blend. PA is my home state and has a very rich tobacco history. The
cigar has a roasted cashew flavor that is quite complex and
flavorful. The cigar definitely keeps you interested from the moment
you light up.
The Black is made in the Dominican
Republic. Ironically, it has more Nicaraguan tobacco than the White.
The wrapper is a very high grade Habano from Ecuador. The binder is a
Nicaraguan Rosado, which adds some black pepper flavor. The filler
consists of Ligeros from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. I have
some Brazilian Mata Fina in the filler to round out the blend, as
well as a tobacco called "Dark Fire" which is made in
Kentucky and Tennessee, and is fire cured instead of air cured. The
fire curing process is one of the original ways to dry and cure
tobacco by the Native Americans. It's certainly nothing new, but
hasn't yet been introduced to premium cigars. It's a gorgeous leaf
that is wrapper grade. It adds a smoky aroma and ties the blend
together.
What
drives your passion for cigars?
That's simple. It's the people that enjoy them. They drive me
everyday and keep me going.
Favorite smoking memory?
Probably getting caught smoking cigars with my buddies when we were
in high school. We were blowing smoke on the glass door for some
strange reason, and my Dad was behind us the whole time. He couldn't
even yell at me, because he was laughing at how he caught us. It's a
funny memory that me and my buddies often bring up.
Favorite
cigar and why? I certainly
enjoy the blends I created in The Black and The White. They hit my
palate perfectly. I can't say that I have a favorite cigar, but
cigars always taste better around good friends.
Who do you most admire in the
cigar industry: That's a
tough one. I really admire many of the manufacturers and brand
owners. I have huge respect for the men and women who keep this
industry exciting and moving forward. I could give you a list, and
it would be long and I would feel bad if I left anyone out. There
are good people in the cigar industry and I am certainly excited and
inspired by a lot of them.
Any thoughts on where the cigar
industry is headed? I'm
concerned on one hand with the laws, regulations, and taxes that
affect this industry. On the other hand, I am excited to see where
retailers are taking their businesses and where manufacturers and
brand owners are raising the bar. There has never been a better time
to be a cigar smoker.
Anything new on the manufacturing
side outside of the two lines you are debuting?
Always. I am working on a fun project that I am very excited about.
It's too new to give out any details, but it's seriously the most fun
project that I have worked on. You'll have to wait and see.
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