(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)
At the 2021 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Protocol Cigars will launch the third installment of its Lawman Series, the Protocol Bass Reeves. Like the other installments, the Protocol Bass Reeves will have a natural and maduro offering along with its traditional, refined, and regal packaging.
The Protocol Lawmen Series pays homage to those men and women in law enforcement who work hard fighting criminals. Protocol Bass Reeves follows the Protocol Sir Robert Peel and Protocol Eliot Ness releases. Bass Reeves was one of the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshals in history. According to Protocol Cigars, Bass Reeves arrested 3,000 criminals during his long career in Arkansas and the Oklahoma Territory, In 1875 he was sworn in as a U.S. Deputy Marshal.
“Bass Reeves was the inspiration for The Lone Ranger and we tried to incorporate that into the design of the packaging. We added a white horse and incorporated silver into the design on the vista because The Lone Ranger’s horse was named silver. We can not think of a more deserving historical law enforcement figure to get a cigar in their honor!” Said Kevin Keithan, co-owner of Protocol Cigars in a press release.
One thing that is different is while the Sir Robert Peel and Eliot Ness Natural offerings utilized Habano wrapper, the Bass Reeves Natural will feature a Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper – marking the first time a Sumatra wrapper is being used on a core Protocol offering. The Bass Reeves Maduro features a Dark Nicaraguan Habano wrapper. Both the Bass Reeves Natural and Maduro feature Nicaraguan binder and filler. Each cigar is a 6 x 52 box-pressed. Production comes from the San Lotano factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua. The cigars are presented in ten-count boxes. Pricing is set at $119.50 per box for both the Natural and Maduro.
“Bass Reeves was blended with tobacco leaves from the different growing regions of Nicaragua. Both were blended to have incredible taste and balance. The maduro is a dark habano with sweet subtleness. The natural is a nutty sumatra with a delicious underlying spice note.” Added Hector Alfonso Sr. Espinosa’s Master Blender.
Juan Cancel added, “We are proud to feature Bass Reeves as the newest addition to the Lawmen Series. I feel it truly shows the diversity of the law enforcement community as a whole, that men and women from all races and ethnicities come together to serve the public at large.”
Today we look at the maduro.
Bass Reeves Maduro
Wrapper: Nicaragua Dark Habano
Blinder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: San Lotano
Vitola:
6 x 52 Box Pressed
Like all the cigars in this series it is well made. It has an average feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were interesting; cedar, apricot, a lot of black coffee, nutmeg, light citrus peel, and dry cocoa. There was good black pepper rated at 8+. Dark noted with some sweetness. Nice start.
At the first third (34 minutes) the notes were apricot, light cedar, light citrus, brown sugar, dry cocoa, dry nutmeg, a little toffee, and black coffee. A lot of flavors going on! The finish is toffee, black coffee, and a little nutmeg with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied but seems to be leaning toward medium to full. The cigar is tasty with dark notes and a lot of varied sweeter notes. It is a little more interesting than the natural version. I rated the first third 94.
As I moved through the second third (59 minutes) the black coffee is really coming out. At this point I had light apricot, light citrus peel, brown sugar, toffee, and elevated black coffee. I didn't have the cocoa notes anymore. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is toffee, black coffee, and a little nutmeg with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar got a little darker. I rated the second third 93.
The cigar lasted 1 hour 17 minutes. About 10 minutes longer than the natural version. The flavors condensed into 4 in the final third; light apricot, toffee, light dry nutmeg, and black coffee. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is toffee, black coffee, and very good lingering black pepper. The black pepper is just about as good in this cigar as it was in the natural version. The cigar jumped in strength and condensed in flavors. In my opinion this is a little better cigar than the natural, which was so heavy on dry nutmeg. I rated the final third 93. Good cigar.
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