In case you missed it, yesterday was World No Tobacco Day. I celebrated this momentous occasion like I celebrate most other momentous occasions - I lit up a cigar.
As you can tell from my previous reviews, I have generally enjoyed most 5 Vegas cigars that I have tried. I'd had this 5 Vegas Limitada 2010 (Belicoso: 6" x 52) in the humi for quite a while now and I thought it would be perfect for such an auspicious occasion. I was wrong. I can't recall a 5 Vegas product I've enjoyed less.
Before I lit it up, I notice that the cap was torn. No problem - I was going to cut that part off anyway. But then I noticed that the foot was torn, too. On closer inspection, the wrapper looked very thin and dry and, well... shoddy, like it hadn't been applied correctly. It was loose in several places, and I could have easily peeled it. There were noticeable lumps, but no soft spots.
The looks improved when I clipped off the broken cap, and the draw was good. It already tasted like a typical 5 Vegas, leather and black pepper. Once lit, it was more of the same: leather and pepper, medium-full bodied, fairly smooth. Good, in a word. The prototypical 5 Vegas taste. After the first half-inch or so, I began getting some dark cocoa notes, which is always a welcome addition for me.
But the construction issues kept me from enjoying it. The ash was annoyingly flaky - I had it all over me before I was done. There was plenty of smoke, but the burn was uneven. I had to touch it up twice with my lighter to keep it from canoeing. By the two-thirds point, the head was unraveling and the draw became so loose I was having trouble keeping the thing lit. After the second time it went out I didn't even bother relighting it. Very disappointing, especially for a cigar with such hype behind it.
Appearance and Construction: 7/15
Flavor: 21/25
Smoking Characteristics: 10/25
Overall Impression: 20/35
Total: 58/100
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