Video review HERE.
Translating to “Old Year,” Año Viejo is a holiday celebrated predominately in Columbia, Ecuador, and Honduras-the birthplace of this cigar. Año Viejo is a New Year’s celebration focused on purging the negativity of the old year to make room for the prosperity and happiness to come in the New Year. The holiday involves a tradition of burning nondescript effigies that are supposed to personify any unpleasantness of the old year, so think of burning this cigar as a peaceful and relaxing opportunity to let go of any negativity from the old year and a celebration of the year to come. Rolled at Tabacalera Kafie in Danlí, Honduras, Año Viejo is a 7×38 lancero featuring a 4-year-aged Cloud Grown Ecuadorian Havana Natural Wrapper, a 3-year-aged Honduran corojo binder from Jamastran, and 2-year-aged fillers from Estelí in Nicaragua plus 3-year-aged fillers from Trojes in Honduras. The cigar has also been aged over a year since rolling.
“This is a one and done blend. It has never been made, and will never be made again.” -
Dr. Gaby Kafie
The cigar is a true lancero. It looks like a long pencil. It has an average feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was a bit firm but workable. The initial flavors at light up were an orange citrus, light citrus peel, brown sugar, cinnamon, cashew butter, and leather. The cashew butter comes right after the nice sweet notes and it's quite concentrated. There was black pepper rated at 7 to 7 1/2. It's a very sweet start in spite of the pocket of cashew butter.
At the first third (18 minutes) the cashew butter is still there but not quite as elevated. The sweet notes of citrus, brown sugar, and cinnamon are quite good and intense. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is citrus, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pretty good lingering black pepper. The cigar is quite good. I rated the first third 94.
As I moved through the second third (38 minutes) the cigar developed a lot of earthiness. There were a type of citrus/cedar notes, lighter brown sugar and cinnamon, and instead of the cashew butter it's more of a nutmeg flavor with light leather. The cigar has an overall earthiness about it. That earthiness overshadows the sweeter notes quite a bit. The finish is unchanged. The cigar is still medium bodied. The earthiness really hurt the cigar. I rated the second third 91.
The cigar lasted 55 minutes. There was a big bounce back in the final third. The cigar got to 95% of what it was in the first third. The nice, sweet orange citrus with brown sugar and cinnamon was back. The cashew butter was not there but the nutmeg was. The light leather was also there. Just about everything bounced back. The finish was unchanged. The cigar is still medium bodied. It's nice when a cigar bounces back from a bad section. Very nice. I rated the final third 93. I enjoyed this cigar quite a bit.
No comments:
Post a Comment