L’Atelier Côte d’Or (7 x 47)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)

In 2015, L’Atelier Imports, introduced a new limited edition cigar called L’Atelier Côte d’Or. This is L’Atelier’s second limited cigar release following the L’Atelier Extension de la Racine (L’Atelier Imports’ annual limited edition cigar made available only to retailers that attend the IPCPR Trade Show). With the Côte d’Or, it features two key tobacco components. First up, it incorporates Pelo de Oro tobacco in the filler – a tobacco that typically has low yield because it is susceptible to disease and mold. Secondly, the cigar is finished with an Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus wrapper – a tobacco that is a staple found on all of the L’Atelier branded cigars.

The name Côte d’Or translates to “gold coast”. It also is the name of the department in Eastern France that is the famous Burgundy wine growing region. One grape grown is the Pinot Noir – which is considered a high maintenance, temperamental plant. There is an analogy to Pelo de Oro as it is a high maintenance leaf to work with (it has been prone to mold). While both Pinot Noir and Pelo de Oro have low yields, both are known to produce high quality end products for wine and cigars respectively.

Sancti Spiritus is a tobacco leaf grown by the Oliva family with a seed from the Garcia family. It is a hybrid of Criollo and Pelo de Oro. The irony of it being used in this blend is that it was intended to be a replacement seed for Pelo de Oro – namely because of the problems associated with growing Pelo de Oro. The priming of Sancti Spiritus used on Côte d’Or is the same one that is used on the L’Atelier Selection Spéciale line.

Wrapper: Sancti Spiritus (Ecuador)

Binder: Nicaraguan (Double Binder)

Filler: Nicaraguan, including Pelo de Oro

Country of Origin: Nicaragua (My Father Cigars SA)

A single vitola is being made – a 7 x 47 soft-pressed Churchill.

The L’Atelier Côte d’Or is packaged in ten count boxes. A total of 2,100 boxes (21,000 cigars) were produced.

Finally, this release priced at $16.00 is the most premium offering offered by L’Atelier Imports to date.

The cigar is a dark brown in color and has a dense feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the minimum from the cap was very good. The initial flavors were a sweet, juicy orange citrus, milk chocolate, and espresso. There was black pepper rated at an 8. Nice start.

About 1 1/2 inches in the flavors have not changed. The pepper is actually rated at an 8 1/2. It's very nice. The 3 main flavors on the front end are about even in intensity at this point. The finish is one of cocoa with a nice amount of lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium to full bodied.

A little past the midpoint the espresso notes are very heavy. The chocolate notes are secondary and the citrus notes are third. The cigar is full bodied now. There are flashes of cocoa here and there on the front end. The finish still has cocoa notes and now there are coffee notes to go along with the pepper.

At the end I lost a lot of the citrus notes. You are left with primarily espresso notes and secondary chocolate notes. The cigar is still full bodied. The pepper remained very good. The finish did not change. This is a very dark noted cigar. This might be a good, long after dinner cigar. While not inexpensive it should be on your must try list. A good offering from L'Atelier.

Score: 91