Start: 11:05 PM Finish: 12:01 PM

Food: Lemon Chicken with fried rice and vegetable potstickers

Drink: S. Pellegrino over ice

Location: Front of my house. No breeze and 72 deg.

Pre light aroma: This cigar was full of chocolate, spice, and the smell of sweet tobacco.

Construction: This was in great condition. It had a beautiful light coco brown color and had no visible veins or discoloration.

Pre Light: I made a clean cut with my Xikar cigar cutter and took a pre light draw. It was a perfect draw and promised to be a fine smoke even before my lighter ever came close to the foot.

Light: As usual the Xikar cigar made an exemplary cut. Feeling very “Tim the Tool man” I used a food prep blow torch to ignite the stick. No burn correction touch up’s were ever necessary.

Taste: The initial draw was cardamom, leather and allspice. It was as clean as the night I was smoking. There was no change ¼ ways through the cigar. After the first ¼ of the cigar dark coco became more pronounced and grew along with plenty of leather. It had a very tight grayish black ash the clung tight to the stick and was going nowhere. There was ample smoke upon each draw. The smoke started to build at the ½ way point and became a little peppery. This cigar looked like a work of art with its ash still in tact ½ way up the cigar. The ash was a light charcoal grey. Now coffee, leather and heavy spice permeated the air and my neighbor who does not enjoy cigars came out and asked what I was smoking. I replied a great stick and he commented on how wonderful the bouquet was. The spice clung to my palate and intensified through the rest of the stick. The ash finally gave way and fell off to reveal a clean edge that held straight the rest of the smoke. The last ¼ of the cigar picked up intense power. Were talking vitamin “N” here. Rich earthy tobacco, leather, and heavy spice. This mixed with the intoxicating aroma and a healthy dose of nicotine held me in place. I nubed this cigar and only as my fingers were singing did it get a tad harsh.

Synopsis: Phenomenal! From the lovely bouquet to the complex taste I found this smoke a delight. Smoke this cigar on a full stomach. My only complaint would be that it was only an hour. I could have smoked this till I turned green. A must have for any serious cigar aficionado.

URL: http://www.cubanlous.com/ramon-allones-specially-selected-cigars-p-222.html