HdM Maduro (Bomber Review)

[Kaisersozei]

Hoyo de Monterrey Rothschild Maduro
Vitola: Robusto (4.5 x 50)
Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: DR, Hon, Nic
Filler: Connecticut

My son came home from college for a visit this weekend, so we had a mini-herf on the back porch tonight after dinner. Despite my protests/cajoling/bribes, he lit up a Black & Mild Wine, and I lit up one of the rockets Jkim05 so graciously bombed me with this week. Thought I'd provide a quick review.

Appearance: I love the way this stick looked. Dark brown, felt great in my had, I'm partial to robustos and this fit the profile perfectly.

Prelight: Chocolate & Levi Garrett (yes, the chewing tobacco--it took me back to my ROTC days 25 years ago--more on this in a minute!)

Burn & draw: Lit perfectly, but developed uneveness after the first inch. The burn was so angular it could have been in one of those cellphone commercials with the bars. Required two touch-ups, but didn't affect the overall taste. Very smooth draw, produced a lot of smoke when I pulled on it, no smoke while it rested.

Flavor Profile: A pleasant creaminess pervaded the entire smoke. The first third was fruity, mostly raisin & some cherry. Since it was dark, I couldn't take any photos, but for those of you who like pictures in your reviews, here's what it tasted like:

40% less fat? Guess what, Nestle--I got 0% fat in my smoke, beyotch! Anyway, the second third gave way to a meaty flavor like chargrilled steak, which was very satisfying, and probably looked a little like this in my tastebud-mind connection:

Note the butter, that's important in this smoke. The cherry note was still evident and came on strong in the final act, complementing some smoky wood. I loved the complexity. The finish was short, and there is almost no after taste an hour later.

Body: Mild/Medium, virtually no nic buzz.

Rating: Despite the burn issue, this was an excellent smoke. I particularly enjoyed it while spending time talking to my son about his current ROTC experiences and reminiscing about my own. Thanks again, Jeremy!

Gerard