RyJ Reserve Maduro No. 4 Review

[BlackIrish]

Got a good deal on a five-pack of these on CBid. This is the first one I've smoked; it had about 3 mos of humi time.

The cigar: RyJ Reserve Maduro No. 4, 5x44
Blackened CT maduro wrapper
Nicaraguan binder
DR/Nic/Peru filler

Prelight: The wrapper is a dull dark mottled brown with some noticeable veins. I've read on other sites that it's a blackened maduro. The silver band does look nice against the dark wrapper. Very firm to the touch.

Burn/construction: lit perfectly without any trouble, burned straight and true. Draw was tight, not impossibly so, but definitely tighter than I like and a little bit of a distraction. You'll want to use a guillotine to slice this, to open it up. The ash is white to light gray and very firm.

Flavor: A smooth smoke, with creaminess. There were some hints of rich maduro sweetness on the front palate, but they came and went and never quite materialized the way they should. Body was mild-medium, and felt too mild. I noticed a fair bit of saltiness on my lips and in the aftertaste -- maybe something to do with the blackened wrapper? -- which I didn't care for. In the last third, I had one or two puffs that suggested great maduro flavor had arrived, but if it had, it didn't stay. Not much depth or complexity.

Overall, a disappointment. I've read that they get better with time, so I'll let the rest of this pack rest and see if they get better. In the meantime, I wouldn't recommend it or buy again.