Reviewers Wanted For Our Two New Blends!

[Cool Breeze]

I have smoked one of each. This weekend I will smoke the other two and after that, give my thoughts.

I did not notice the glue on my first 2 cigars, but I will pay close attention. Hopefully Frank just got one that slipped through.

[Usafvet509]

Cirque Strongman (robusto) review
Smoked: 3/10 and 3/11
Both paired with Casey's Colombian French roast

Aggregate review follows:

The cigar feels slightly rough and toothy, is firm with slight give. The wrapper smells spicy, with notes of tobacco and black pepper. The foot gives tobacco, black pepper and earth. 1 was cut with my ultra slim, the other with V cutter. Unfortunately, both suffered splits at the cap, with the V being far less dramatic. The ultra slim rendered me a flag to smoke around.
Now, with that minor unpleasantness out of the way:

1st third: Tastes are of cedar and black pepper, with faint earthy and creamy notes hanging back. Aroma is rich, with a hint of Latakia ( @Haebar , I did learn something), cinnamon and baking spice.

2nd third: Tastes are cedar, unspecified pepper, with the cinnamon coming over and joining the creaminess. The Latakia aroma now turns a bit smoky, with richness and unknown spice. Here was the first (of very few) burn correction.

Final third: Tastes are leather, creamy, some salt and baking spice. Aromas are a hint of cocoa, spice, cedar cinnamon and a bread note. I did read the ad copy ahead of time (naughty, naughty), and I could almost hit salted pretzel with taste and aroma combined. Very nice!

Thoughts: Thanks to @JasonBCP for the samples. The Cirque has me intrigued, and wanting more. I'm a stickler for the Single-5er-Box rule, so if anybody wants to do a split, here's a feller that wants a 5er! Aside from the wrapper splitting at the cap, this stick is priced right, and definitely hits above its tag.

[JasonBCP]

Thank you Trent. This is the first time I've heard the Latakia reference in regards to Cirque, very interesting. Now I'll have to light one up again with that in mind lol.

[Cool Breeze]

All right, here we go for my first review of these. Today I am posting my review of the Cirque. For you who are impatient, I'll go ahead and tell you, I really like this cigar. Very nice. It is one that I would certainly purchase.

Construction
As far as the pack, the burn and the draw, construction is very good.
However, I also had the cap mess up on the first one. The first one I gave a standard straight cut and the cap split on me and it started to unravel a bit. I was able to baby it and it turned out okay. Not a big complaint, but it wasn't only me, so that may be something to look at.
The 2nd one I smoked this afternoon, I decided to punch. I was really gentle with it and it started to split a little, but I was able to get the job done without too much wrapper damage.
Again, not a huge deal, but it's not something I would expect to deal with every time.
The ash held on for about an inch at a time, which is fine and when it did fall, the burn was always in the perfect cone that you want to see.

First light and first third
As soon as you light this cigar you immediately know you are smoking a Nicaraguan blend. There is no doubt about it. I would call it a cross between a Padron and an Alec Bradley Nica Puro. That is good company by the way, as I love both of those.
There is a very pleasant sweetness and creaminess as well.
Trent, I was really hoping to pick up the Latakia flavors you mentioned, but I did not. However I do not lay claim to having the most refined palate.
There is a slight pepper that is more apparent on the retrohale than anything. It is a pleasant amount and not overwhelming at all.

Second Third
Not a big flavor shift in the 2nd third, which is fine. The flavors are great. I don't think I want them to change.
More of the same creamy sweetness and traditional Nicaraguan flavors. The pepper is still there about the same.
Really enjoying this cigar.

Last third
The creaminess and sweetness dies down a bit in the last third and the pepper remains.
The last third is mostly a woody cedar like flavor. Not sweet but still very pleasant.
Still burning perfectly and I am able to smoke it down to the last inch or so before it starts to get bitter.

Overall
Very nice stick.
Medium body.
Strength as far as nicotine is a medium/mild. Not getting a head rush or anything which is great.

The flavors are indeed similar to a Padron but without the flavor transitions of a Padron. It is more of a straightforward consistent cigar.
This is not a bad thing when the flavors are so good.

I definitely would buy this cigar. It is a really nice blend.

Oh and here's a pic, just because we all love pics.

[JasonBCP]

Thanks, Paul, and nice job with the pic as well. Padron and Nica Puro are certainly good company to be in!

[GrouchoM]

Can I still participate in the review? If not, would definitely be interested in the future. Thanks.

[Upstatemax]

Smoked my second Cirque today. This is the one direct from the Wineador that is kept around 67-68%RH. My dry box is kept at about 61-62%RH.

After reading some of the other reviews on the Cirque, I cut this one a few times and lower than I normally do, to see if I could get the same wrapper issues that they had. I could not get it to split or unravel, at all. I paired this one with a Founders "All Day IPA".

Aroma off of the cigar is very pleasant, like the first. This one is a slight bit more tobacco forward, but still a very sweet tobacco smell.



First third: Similar creamy, nutty flavor right off the bat. This time it has a slight black pepper spice in the aftertaste. Going through the first third it keeps that great cream and nutty flavor, sometimes a slight black coffee shows up in the aftertaste. I've been experimenting with Retrohale and I decided to give it a shot with this one. What a good decision, I get a clean and great blast of black cherry. Usually I find the concept of retrohale punishing, this cigar actually made it pleasurable.

Second third: Very mellow and lots of cream. Spice has faded away. A nice nutty cashew flavor pops in and out. Once I'm in the second third I'm getting almost a pound cake flavor on the back end, mixing this with continued retrohaling and a consistent black cherry flavor is a great experience.



Final third: Cream and cashew is making a comeback with a slight spice in the aftertaste. Nearing the end of the cigar, the flavors stay consistent with those flavors. The retrohale starts to shift though, more of a black current now. Starting to get hot, time to put her out!

Overall I really like this cigar. It's approachable and I get A LOT of desert flavors. This is a great cigar if you want a relaxing, pleasurable smoke. Or for a beginner that wants a cigar that's not going to punish them. I've found solid construction and a great burn in both of the Cirque cigars I've smoked. The second was a bit more "wonky", but it was also fairly windy today and I'm certain it affected the burn a bit. But it always stayed in acceptable ranges with a little attention. This is the first cigar I've found easy to retrohale, adding a lot to the smoking experience.

Again, a big THANK YOU to @JasonBCP for sending this cigar for review!

Hopefully the weather holds out, I want to get out and smoke my fourth cigar!

[JasonBCP]

Awesome review, thank you Frank. Cool to hear that you found some "rewards" in the retrohale. You are spot-on about the black cherry notes, though I didn't detect them until about the 3rd go-round with this stick.
Also, how is ol' Clifton Park doing? (I lived there for a spell circa 2005)

[Usafvet509]

I will get off my ass and post the San Rafael review, promise. I apologize to all for my delay

[Upstatemax]

Awesome review, thank you Frank. Cool to hear that you found some "rewards" in the retrohale. You are spot-on about the black cherry notes, though I didn't detect them until about the 3rd go-round with this stick.
Also, how is ol' Clifton Park doing? (I lived there for a spell circa 2005)

Sorry, I missed this response!

CP is doing well. It keeps on growing and growing! You know you made it when you get your own Olive Garden...

Lol

With Global Foundries in Malta and the Nanoscale college in Albany, Clifton Park is in a great position to keep on blowing up.

Where did you live?

Wife and I grew up in Clifton Park, moved to NYC for a few years and then to State College, PA for about a year. I LOVED State College. Still have a buddy there that I plan to visit this summer.