El Pulpo (Pre-release) by Artesano del Tobacco (5 x 56 Box Pressed)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by Artesano del Tobacco)

The EL Pulpo project started back in 2016. El Pulpo means "the octopus" in Spanish. 

"We want to focus more on the blend it self, flavors, look, feel, smoke notes. We have been waiting a long time for this cigar." (Billy Fakih, co-owner of Artesano del Tobacco)

I do not have a release date for this cigar. I also do not know if there are any plans to have other sizes.

Artwork for the box was released.

Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro ( aged close to 10 years) 

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler : Nicaraguan

Factory: AJ Fernandez factory, Esteli

The wrapper is dark and the cigar is box pressed. It has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were sweet, tangy citrus/cedar, brown sugar, hints of leather, dark chocolate, and black coffee. There was nice black pepper rate at 8. Nice start.

At the first third (22 minutes) the notes have developed and changed a little. Now I had a citrus/peach flavor, brown sugar, light toffee, light leather, dark chocolate, and black coffee. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is light toffee and dark chocolate with good lingering black pepper. The cigar has some nice notes. It's very dark noted and powerful with nice sweet notes. I rated the first third 95.

Moving through the second third (41 minutes) the dark chocolate got light and the black coffee increased quite a bit and they had some earthiness. The toffee notes got lighter. The other notes are about the same. The cigar is still full bodied. The finish is unchanged; toffee and dark chocolate with good lingering black pepper. I rated the second third 94.

The cigar lasted 1 hour. I had some cedar, light brown sugar, dark chocolate, and quite a bit of black coffee. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is unchanged with very good lingering black pepper. The negatives were loss of citrus/peach and elevated black coffee. These are minor and the cigar remains quite good. I rated the final third 93. Look for these when they drop. I will be curious to see what other sizes it comes in, if any. Good cigar from Artesand del Tobacco.

Overall Score: 94