Manufacturer: Curivari
Brand: Seleccion Privada
Size: 5x50 Robusto
Cost: $5.35
Rest Time: 8-months
Burn Time: 1 Hour
Prelight: The Seleccion Privada has a milk chocolate wrapper that is heavily veined. The cigar has firm even pack with sloppy triple cap. Prelight aroma is mild tobacco and cedar. I use my small punch to pierce the cap and off we go. Prelight draw shows vegetal flavors and cedar.
1st 3rd:
On first draw I get some cocoa, earth and just tiny bit of white pepper with a tobacco core. After the cigar settles down I get, well, not much more all of those same flavors are there they have just been ratcheted down.
2nd 3rd:
Entering the second third there really is not much change the cocoa has fallen deeper into the background with the cedar and straight tobacco flavors dominating. This finish is incredibly mild earth and lacks that bite I've tasted in the other Curivaris I've had. The ash holds on for almost two and a half inches before falling on its own.
Final Third
Entering the final third it's pretty much the same flavors, very one dimensional. This is a quick burner even for my slow smoking pace.
Summary:
I've enjoyed most of the Curivari smokes I've tried with the BV line and the Cafe being my favorites. All of the ones I have tried were medium-full bodied with little to mild strength. The Seleccion Privada really is an anomaly in their line as its nothing more than a mild smoke with a tobacco core and faint hints of cocoa and cedar. The burn on the stick was razor sharp with no relights or touch ups required. The Seleccion Privada was mild-medium at best in body with no perceptible strength.