Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ Maduro Belicoso - Guest Review

I have been eager to post some guest reviews by friends to get another perspective, and after a good BOTL sent me his review of this stick, I had to put it up! So, without further ado, Matt's review of the DPG Series JJ Maduro Belicoso:

Background - Picked this up from a box-pass, other than that I don’t know much about its background.

Construction - The wrapper on this cigar is a beautiful dark brown, a little tooth, no spotting. To the touch it feels very supple, didn’t find any under filled spots or any spots that felt particularly harder than any other part. Excellent construction.

Pre-light - Draw has a slight tug, which I find unusual for DPGs, so that was something new for me. Lots of spice to this cigar on the cold taste, not much pepper though. I’m already liking the taste of this cigar.

First third - Smacks you in the face with spice and now the pepper hits, very earthy as well. Full-bodied at this point, lots of creamy smoke, and it has a sweet smooth finish to it. The sweetness lingers for a good while after each puff leading me to say that this provides a nice long finish on the palate. Burn is even at this point.

Second third - Still very spicy, and I like that! The pepper note has dissipated, it’s still a little earthy, but a leathery element is coming through. I’m not getting a cedary note, and I’m not sure if that is something normal for this line or not. Very enjoyable, burn is pretty even, no noticeable canoeing or tunneling.Final third - The spice has not stopped and I’m loving it. The earthiness has gone away, but still extremely enjoyable, and the sweet smooth finish remains long. The burn has stayed even. The draw got a little hot towards the end, but didn’t take anything away from the taste.Overall impression - Extremely enjoyable cigar, very spicy throughout the entire smoke, and a sweetness that lingered on the palate the entire time. I’m definitely going to be keeping some of these in my humidor. Consistent, enjoyable, and smooth would be the best 3 words I could use to describe this cigar. Well, I'm no pro, but I'd give the cigar a 93. It was a solid performer all the way around, and it is right up my alley as far as flavor profiles go.

-The Badger

The "Black Ghost"

After hearing some talk about a LE house blend cigar rolled by an ex-Opus Master Roller, I asked around, and found out that the "Black Ghost" is a gnarly looking stick, rolled by Francisco from Habana Premium in upstate NY. It is said to be a real powerhouse sporting a Peruvian wrapper. The Corona Gorda sized stick is rather ugly, having a funky colored wrapper, a little pigtail, and lots of lumps. My curiosity lead to a bomb by a BOTL from Asylum, who sent me two of these so that I could do a review. Seems like I will be in for an interesting experience!

Cut is a Palio, lit with matches, and paired with cold water. Enjoying this with a good buddy, who will be smoking his first CC courtesy of Santa. Feels great to push someone down the slope ;)

Pre-Light - As I said before, this is really an ugly cigar. The wrapper has patchy colors and lumps, and is a bit squishy in some spots. That aside, the pre-light draw is nice, with a tiny tug.

First Third - The draw opens up immediately with thick, cloudy smoke. Wood and a dark, earthy note dominate the flavors right off the bat, and I can already tell this will be quite a strong cigar. Black tea and straight raw tobacco are also in the flavor mix, and it reminds me of a young, ultra-full-bodied Cuban. Ash is flaky but tight, and looks very dark in color, and again, I think CC. After setting it down for only a minute or two while I sent a text message, it went out! No problem after re-lighting though.

Second Third - The burn is going well, though ranging from sharp to somewhat ragged. More tea and black pepper notes are developing, complementing the earthy flavors. I am enjoying the Ghost so far, but it is flirting with the fine line between complexity and muddiness, most likely because of the darkness of the flavors.

Third Third - This cigar is no wimp- I can feel the strength creeping up in the back of my throat. Black tea and earth are dominating the last third, with some rich spice in the background. Ash/burn/draw continue to be on target, and no more re-light problems. Smoker beware with nose-exhaling- trust me it burns like hell.

Conclusion and Score - I smoked one of these previously, and I must say it was not half as good. Not sure if it was more humi time or the fact that I smoked the first one in 15 degree weather, but I was very impressed this time through. This wasn't the most complex cigar I have had, or the most refined in flavor, but it certainly had a nice punch in both body and taste. A rugged, dark, earthy flavor dominated- something that I don't find with too many sticks, and am rarely in the mood for, but today it hit the spot. I would give this an 89 rating, with possible room for improvement if the young, tea like flavor cold mellow with some age.