Video review HERE.
(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)
On the eve of the 2017 IPCPR Trade Show, Nicholas Melillo and Foundation Cigar Company announced a project it was doing with a new cigar company called Highclere Cigar Company. For this project, Melillo developed a blend that would be distributed by his Foundation Cigar Company. Highclere Cigar Company was founded by George Herbert, who is the 8th Earl of Canavaran and the owner of the famed Highclere Castle Estate located in Hampshire, England. The first release of this collaboration was the self-titled Highclere Castle cigar, a Connecticut Shade offering.
There are ties to the Highclere Castle Estate and cigars. it was in 1862 when cigars were first introduced to England and records at the estate show cigar purchases going back to the early 1900s. There is a tradition at Highclere Castle to enjoy a cigar and whiskey after dinner in the library. The goal of the Highclere Castle cigar was to produce a blend reminiscent to those enjoyed at Highclere Castle at the turn of the 20th century. Melillo took into account the profile of these early cigars and crafted a blend getting as close to possible as those cigars enjoyed during the early days. Throughout the process, Herbert played an active role in the project.
Blend and Origin
Melillo opted to produce Highclere Castle at AJ Fernandez’s Tabacalera Fernandez. This is the factory that handles production for his Tabernacle and Charter Oak brands. While the Highclere Castle cigar was one designed to be reminiscent of a cigar from the turn of the 20th century, the blend components are quite contemporary. In addition to the Connecticut Shade cigar, Highclere Castle features a Brazilian Mata Fina binder and fillers from Nicaragua. Of note, there is a proprietary tobacco grown from a hybrid seed known as Nicadán.
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Nicaraguan Criollo and Corojo from Jalapa and Ometepe, Nicadán
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Tabacalera Fernandez
Vitolas Offered
Highclere Castle is available in five sizes. Each is presented in 20-count boxes.
Corona: 5 x 42
Robusto: 5 x 50
Petit Corona: 5 1/2 x 46
Toro: 6 x 52 REVIEWED TODAY
Churchill: 7 x 48
The cigar is a golden brown and looks the part of a Connecticut shade cigar. It has a very nice feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were cream with light white chocolate, cedar with a slight amount of tangy notes, brown sugar, cinnamon, quite a bit of nutmeg, and a nice black coffee base. Initially there was a nice white pepper rated at 7.
At the first third (30 minutes) the cigar is going along very closely as the initial description. The pepper has changed over to a black pepper and appears to be more intense. The white chocolate is still very nice. The cream notes are no longer there. The notes are now cedar, white chocolate, brown sugar, sprinklings of cinnamon, quite a bit of nutmeg, and black coffee. The nutmeg is very smooth. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is cream and nutmeg with nice lingering black pepper. The cigar is good and very much a Connecticut type. I rated the first third at 93.
Moving through the second third (1 hour 14 minutes) the intensity of the sweeter flavors decreased. The black coffee and nutmeg rose. There were the same flavors across the board but the intensity of them changed. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. I have a rule of smoking Connecticut cigars very slowly in order to get the best flavors and keep the cigar from tasting harsh. I'm satisfied I am doing that. I rated the second third score at 91.
The cigar lasted 1 hour 35 minutes. In the final third the white chocolate notes decreased but the cedar and brown sugar notes increased. The finish had a toasted cream with nutmeg and nice lingering black pepper. The cigar ended at medium to full bodied. This is a nice Connecticut. But I prefer the Victorian more. I held the previous rating of 91 for the final third.
Overall Score: 91.67
No comments:
Post a Comment