Video review HERE.
(Description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)
The blend of the Bellas Artes is the big story around this cigar. It uses a proprietary wrapper known as Rojita. This wrapper is a hybrid that crosses three types of tobacco: U.S. Connecticut Shade, Corojo 99 and Havana 2000. The binder comes from a region of Nicaragua known as Quilali – located northeast of Esteli. Meanwhile the filler consists of tobaccos from three countries.
Wrapper: Proprietary Hybrid Rojita: U.S. Connecticut Shade (50%), Corojo 99 (25%), Havana 2000 (25%)
Binder: Quilali, Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaraguan, Honduran, Brazilian
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (Tabacalera Fernandez)
Vitolas Available:
Bellas Artes is available in four box-pressed sizes. Each are packaged in 20 count boxes.
Robusto Extra: 5 x 52
Short Churchill: 6 x 48
Toro: 6 x 54
Gordo: 6 1/2 x 58 REVIEWED TODAY
The cigar is box pressed and a lighter shade of brown. It has a nice dense feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors were a sweet, candy like orange citrus, heavy whipping cream, and brown sugar. Black pepper was rated at an 8 to 8 1/2.
About one inch in the burn is perfect. The cream notes have changed over to a dry cocoa. The finish is a combination of dry wood and cocoa with nice lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied at this point.
About 2 inches in the dry cocoa notes are now a dark noted fudge. The citrus is about 40% of the flavors, the fudge is 50% and the brown sugar is 10%. The pepper continues to be very good at an 8 1/2. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is now a fudge influenced cream.
At, or just past the midpoint the citrus is now only about 30% of the flavors, with 60% going to the fudge like flavor with black coffee and about 10% brown sugar. The pepper is still very good and the finish is unchanged. The strength is medium to full bodied.
In the final third the citrus went back to the same percentage as earlier; about even with the fudge notes. There was still a touch of brown sugar with coffee notes. The cigar ended at medium to full bodied. The finish was unchanged. This was another very good cigar from A. J. but not my favorite he's come out with this year. Nonetheless this was a winner and I'd love to smoke more of them. On shelves now.
Score: 92
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