Swag S Maduro 11/23/14
Paired with a bottle of water.
27 degrees and snowing.
Initial Inspection:
Slightly oily, deep chocolate Maduro wrapper with a couple veins. Moderately firm with no soft spots.
Pre-Light Draw: I got a light tang, with pepper. Good cold draw.
1st Third: I get a white pepper note that is definitely solid on the tongue and back of my throat. Very good smoke production off the foot and plenty of smoke to really coat your mouth with pepper. I get nothing but pepper in this first third. Razor sharp burn, very even line, and solid white ash that held on the entire third.
2nd Third: Second third started changing into more flavor. I still get the white pepper, but now I am getting a bit more tobacco flavor. My mouth is definitely dry and I am still getting a lingering pepper flavor. The Ash fell off half way through the second half, with nice tight lines. Burn is getting wavy towards the last of the second third, no touch ups or issues though.
Final Third: Just about into the last third I had some slight tunneling and the cigar required a slight touch up. I also am getting some oozing as seen on my pinky. I will give it another cut to avoid a bitter end...The pepper has came to life for sure. Draw got a tad tight for a minute but loosened back up. Ash seems to hold on for about an inch and a half, solid tight white ash. Oozing went away after a couple more V cuts, and draw stayed the same. Fairly open draw with good smoke production here. Minus the one quick touch up I have had no burn issues.
I took this stick down to about 3/4 of an inch just to see if anything changes and it stayed consistent. White pepper from start to finish. Pretty monotone and uneventful for my taste. It was a solid stick construction wise though. All in all, this was not mind blowing or super exciting. It was good not great.