Privada Cigar Club Test Blends

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I emailed PCC about the cigar I smoked last night - the Privada Especial 5.25×54 with a Fabrica Centroamericana de Tabaco S.A. (FCT) logo on the backside of the band.

I was very interested to know if my belief of it being from the Farm Rolled Subscription was correct. Searches through the PCC website, and Youtube's unboxing videos gave me no information.

The response back was quick, and I was told this cigar was a Test Blend, not a Farm Rolled. PCC said the cigar is no longer in stock, but could add my feedback to a spreadsheet so they could try to source it again.

I told them it was great, I was glad to know what it was, and that I'm looking forward to the other Test Blend I have - a 6.5×50. Didn't have time or really want to give a better detailed review via email, so figured I'd add it here - plus I know @dinoa2 wants a good review, and since Santa sent two Test Blends, I'll review both here.

Review will be up soon.

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Privada Cigar Club Test Blend
Privada Especial 5.25×54
FCT

Started off a bit meh, but you could tell there was something brewing, and that you might get there in a couple puffs.

Nice complexity emerges. Unique flavor profile comes together very shortly after the initial puffs. Might have been there initially, but I don't think it was.

I remember a nice richness and contrasting subtleties in flavors, an appreciated intensity, and I was loving the slow retrohales.

Can't remember much else, and I want to wrap this up without thinking too much about it. But, beyond the flavors, which I don't think anyone here cares about, it was an awesome cigar and one that I think deserves some attention for a couple more reasons:

1. It was a great introduction to the FCT factory, Cavalier Geneve and PCC.

2. I was gifted this cigar, but pricing of $4 gave me a LOT of value - probably was the best $4 cigar I had.

Tremendous smoke, @dinoa2 . Very thankful.

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The two-pack of PCC/FCT Test Blends:

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Privada Cigar Club Test Blend
Privada Especial 6.5×50
FCT

Initial puffs were very tasty, and filled with a nice dark semi-sweet chocolate, along with a intensity carrying a good pepper burn.

High hopes were met with a slight leathery and maybe musty subtleness shortly after the initial puffs.

Probably around an inch in, everything starts to drop to a blandness that is still good, but there's no complexity or big chocolate, but still a bit of chocolate.

The body becomes very thin and shallow, giving almost nothing on the retrohales. Though, it seems a bit Cuban-esque. Again, not back, just lacking interesting things.

Somewhere the first ash drops and I notice a slight tunneling. A slight tunneling was also noticed with the 5.25×54, but I chaulk it up to me, and still that cigar performed like a fucking champ. Not sure if it's affecting this one.

Around the 1/2 - 2/3, I begin changing to a quicker than normal pace. Start getting Dr. Pepper like spices along with a Cuban-esqueness (haven't smoked many Cubans, so I'm only going off what I know) - and I'm enjoying it.

Dr. Pepper begins to shift towards a dark-flavor that is...ok.

Beautiful looking cigar.

Judgement:

Good, and not a bad stick at all, especially considering the $4 price-point. It opened up with with big things, and maybe if I'd have kept a fast pace it wouldn't have been so dull there for a while. Definitely would pay $4 again, if these were still around to give it another go. And, really for $4, this was the quality cigar I was expecting, but the 5.25×54 showed me just much these Test Blends can vary.
@dinoa2

I really enjoyed smoking these two PCC/FCt Test Blends. One was amazing and the other was good, and it was a lot of fun. Thanks again!