Cigar: Carmelo Red Label Drink: RocketfuelCoffee.com KonaKaze Vitola: Toro (6 x 52) Wrapper: Ecuadorian Shade-Grown Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Price: $6.40 MSRP Burn Time: Just under 2 hours Construction: The Carmelo cigar is wrapped with a very light shade of brown, it also appears fairly fragile There are almost no veins to be seen on the cigar, they are very light and small and the cigar is very smooth The top of the Carmelo is finished with a clean triple cap and is slightly darker in color, likely due to the glue The foot of the cigar is well packed and is also darker in color with some leaves appearing nearly black The shape of the cigar is slightly box pressed and has a soft springiness to it The cut was easy and clean Draw is just about perfect, offering up just the right amount of resistance Burn: Took some time to get the cigar toasted evenly but it ended up being perfectly toasted without causing any initial burn problems The burn is progressing nicely through the first third with only a minor wave in it The wave is always present but it never burned out of control and no corrections as I pass the half-way mark As I approach the end of the cigar it still hasnt required any touch ups but is starting to burn a bit hot Smoke & Ash: Lots of smoke is apparent right from the first draw, easily fills the mouth Resting smoke is light but noticeable and fills the room with more woodsy aromas The ash is very close to being completely white, its smooth and tightly packed First ash last about an inch before I tapped it off into the ashtray Other ashes were all about an inch before being tapped off into the ashtray Tasting Notes: The wrapper aroma is mostly a light mild tobacco aroma with some hints of woodsiness The foot has a lot more woodsiness to the aroma, Im picking up a pine-like or freshly cut cedar scent Pre-light draw brings more freshly cut woody flavors and a touch of spice that lingers on the lips and tongue Initial draws bring more woodsy notes and a burst of pine flavor specifically As we keep moving, the pine is settling in and balancing out with some cedar and a smooth creamy finish The cigar itself is fairly mild and the retrohale has no bite to it but has a nice creamy and woodsy finish As I approach the middle of the cigar Im getting an interesting leafy flavor thats pairing well with the woodsy flavors Im also picking up some sweet bready flavors, similar to something like a brioche The creamy and pine flavors have stuck through the entire cigar, I find these to be a very unique pairing Some slight pepper spice sneaking in as I burn through the last third Final Thoughts: This was a tasty mild cigar and definitely worth trying
It may not be AS potent as my decant, but it is quite close and the smell smells absolutely amazing
Vaping, on the other hand, could be the right choice for those who would like greater control of flavours and nicotine strengths
The children we interviewed were mostly the sons and daughters of Hispanic immigrants, though they themselves were frequently US citizens
