Video review HERE.
(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)
Each year the IPCPR/PCA Trade Show features companies that are exhibiting for the first time. This year a company called Stallone Cigars was going to make its debut at the 2020 PCA Trade Show. Stallone Cigars is a company founded by Tony Barrios, a cutting horse competitor. For several years, Stallone Cigars has been sold in the International (non-U.S.) market. At this year’s trade show, Stallone had planned to launch a six-blend line to the U.S. market known as the Cowboy Series. Earlier this summer, the company made some headlines by introducing industry veteran Todd Vance as its North American Vice President of Sales.
Production for the Cowboy Series comes from Guillermo Peña’s Tabacalera La Perla in Estelí, Nicaragua. Peña is best known for handling production for Paul Stulac Cigars. Barrios has brought a horse theme to his brand. The name Stallone is Italian for stallion. In addition, the Cowboy series draws an analogy to the color of the wrapper and the Spanish name for the color of a horse.
The Negro refers to the near-black colored coat found on some horses, which is represented by the very dark Nicaraguan wrapper on this cigar. The Negro Maduro is a 100% Nicaraguan puro and is available in three box-pressed sizes.
Blend and Origin:
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Tabacalera La Perla
Available vitolas:
Robusto: 5 x 52 REVIEWED TODAY
Toro: 6 x 56
Perfecto: 6 x 54
The cigar's band is impressive. The cigar is very dark and has a nice feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors at light up were sweet chocolate, tangerine, citrus peel, nutmeg, and black coffee. There was a nice amount of black pepper rated at 8. A dark noted, sweet start.
At the first third (41 minutes) the flavors have changed a little. Now I had sweet chocolate which is not quite as intense as the start, light cedar, underlying caramel, light nutmeg, and plenty of black coffee. The finish is plenty of black coffee and dark chocolate with a good amount of lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. The cigar is nice with the sweet chocolate but the intensity of the sweetness is not quite at the level I would prefer. I rated the first third 92.
Moving through the second third (1 hour 11 minutes) there was sweet chocolate with intertwined caramel, light nutmeg, and reduced black coffee. The sweetness of the chocolate is at a moderate level. The black pepper is now rated at around 7. The finish is caramel, chocolate, and pretty good lingering black pepper. At this point it's right where I could smoke it again and buy it again so I rated the second third 90.
The cigar lasted 1 hour 29 minutes. In the final third I still had the sweet chocolate but the intensity of the sweetness has decreased a little more. There is still an underlying thread of caramel to help the sweetness and plenty of black coffee which seems to have risen to it's first third level. The cedar does not play into the flavors at this point. The cigar is a low grade medium to full bodied. The finish is caramel and chocolate but the caramel gives enough sweetness that the chocolate also seems sweet. There is plenty of lingering black pepper. The black pepper on the front end seemed to bounce back and get a little more intense. This is a good cigar but I wish the intensity of the chocolate was better. I rated the final third 88. Smallbatchcigar.com has a sampler of all these Stallone cigars for $48 so you can try them all. I will be reviewing the Habano toro in the upcoming weeks.
No comments:
Post a Comment