El Mejor Espresso Review

[ericb13]

Cigar: El Mejor Espresso
Vitola: Robusto Box Press
Age: Not sure, was gifted to me; I had it for less than a week.

First, I should say that I'm a cheap smoke connoisseur. I hope to find that perfect smoke one day that costs less than $2. I know it's a difficult quest, but I think I'm getting a little closer after to stumbling onto this one. I should also point out that I'm not a big fan of Maduro...I think it's more about disliking a black cigar than the actual taste of it.

On to the review...

I loved the smell of this cigar. There was a very sweet smell to it and I definitely picked up some leather as well. On toasting the foot, I picked up that great smell of roasted...nuts, maybe? So far, everything is setting up right for this one...until, duh-tuh-duuhhh... the first few puffs.

It was very harsh and bitter in the first 3 or 4 puffs and I almost couldn't handle it. I muscled through that and the flavor got better, but I would say it was still a little bit bitter. The harshness went away literally after about 4 puffs. I can't say that I really enjoyed the first half. I was thinking to myself..."I could try this again, but only with a few months age on it."

The second half was a whole other ball game! Kinda like how the Cowboys stunk it up against the Falcons last week in the first half, but then played their best half of the year in the second! Go Cowboys! Anyway, I digress.

I never really noticed the transition, but with about a third left I said to myself, "This is a darn good smoke!" The flavors had settled into a slight leatheryness, with some toasted...nuts, maybe (not sure how to describe it). I started to pick up strong coffee and mocha in the last third and I wound up not wanting to let it end. By this time, jadeg001 was handily beating me in poker, so I wrapped it up and let it go out.

The big negative I can say about this was the burn. I just about emptied my lighter of butane trying to keep the burn straight. If I let it go longer than 5 minutes, it would start to canoe. I can't say this as an indictment of the stick, per se, though. One, I wasn't sure how long it was aged before I got it. Two, my humi is a little wetter than it probably should be. Three, it was very humid outside in the garage where I smoked it.

All in all, I would say that I look forward to trying the Emerald that was gifted me also. I'd buy a fiver of the Espresso and put them back for a few months and see how I like it then. I definitely think it's worth a couple of bucks a stick!

I'll give it 3 cowboys:

Later,
Eric

[DSturg369]

One of my fav smokes.... Good review.

[roughrider]

Thanks for the review.

[Shaz]

I agree. Nothing that will knock your socks off, but a pretty good cheap cigar. Try the Emerald. I though it was a bit better.

[triad47]

I have smoke the Emerald and the Espresso now...just have my first Espresso last night. Very good stick for the price point its in. Will be a popular "everyday" smoke when it gets off the ground.