REVIEW: Emilio Cigars Grimalkin

Today's review is another new cigar from Gary Griffith of Emilio Cigars. (You can read the review I did of the AF1 here.) There is not a lot of information online about this cigar, but I do know that it is being made in Esteli, Nicaragua and that it is rumored to be produced at the My Father factory. Like I said, that's just a rumor and Gary Griffith neither confirmed or denied it. If an under-the-radar cigar from My Father doesn't get the cigar geek in you excited, I don't know what will.

Quote from the Emilio Cigars Website: Grimalkin is a unique blend, produced in Esteli, Nicaragua from carefully selected tobaccos.  This cigar will be limited in quantity based on harvest conditions.  A true masterpiece in the finest tradition. Medium bodied and complex, Grimalkin is designed for the refined palate with an appreciation of subtle nuance in texture and flavor of the smoke.

On to the review...

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: ?
Binder: ?
Filler: ?
Price: $8.30
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water



Pre-Light 

OK. I'm just going to get it out of the way before I start to get into the meaningful part of the review: this has to be one of, if not the ugliest cigar bands on the market. I understand that Grimalkin means evil cat or something, but wow...there has to be a better way to portray that then a poor man's Cheshire cat eyes. I didn't smoke the band, so I'm glad there are other details to review this cigar on because judging this cigar's graphics...that was an epic fail in my opinion. Looking past the band, the wrapper was quite nice and had a reddish hue to it. The pre-lit aroma was very woody and the cold draw had a similar taste, but also had some hints of dried fruit. The draw was nice and free.

First Third   

I didn't know what to expect out of my Grimalkin so I was pleasantly surprised when the cigar opened up with some very unique flavors. On the front, there was a tangy vegetable taste that was enjoyable. It's the flavor I best describe by what you smell when you walk in a well-made green house. The finish had a lot of spicy black pepper that was very Pepin/My Father reminiscent. Both were very strong in taste and each brought a different aspect to the cigar making it far from boring. The burn on my stick was pretty straight and had a very dark "eyeliner" burn line. The power range of the smoke was in the medium range.

Second Third  

The second third of my Grimalkin was similar to the first third except the front of the profile picked up some leather flavor notes. It sounds like a strange mix of flavor with vegetable and leather, but somehow it worked and worked well. The finish was still strong black pepper that, even with its strength, finished clean without leaving my mouth feeling dirty or burnt. The construction was top notch, never needing a relight. The strength got more into the full range at this point, but still nothing overwhelming.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

The final third of my Grimalkin was fantastic. The front of each puff had that lovely (and again, very unique) veggy/leather mix, but the finish changed up into a balance of spice and sweet. The black pepper was still there and roaring, but I picked up some lovely raw sweetness to it that seemed to only get stronger as I got closer to the nub. When you talk about flavor balance in a cigar, this is a perfect example. Like before, the construction was great never getting above the lower-end of full strength.

 

My final thoughts on the Emilio Cigars Grimalkin? I'm stunned by this cigar and I'm stunned there isn't more hype about it. For me, this is in the Top 10 if not the Top 5 sticks I've smoked this year. I can only guess that the hype isn't there because, when you first see this stick on the shelf or in pictures, the band makes it look like a cheap bundle cigar. I would not pick up this cigar in a shop blindly and I would obviously be missing out. If anyone from Emilio Cigars reads this...you have a fantastic cigar. Don't let people walk past it because of it's look.

Would I buy it again? I already have started my hunt for more.

Would I buy a box? This is a box worthy cigar.

Dan

REVIEW: Quesada Oktoberfest

So I'm a little late on this review as October is officially over, but I'm going to post it anyway...the Quesada Oktoberfest. I saw these sticks on display at this past year's IPCPR tradeshow and I was immediately drawn to the design and the dark wrapper. Germany holds a special place in my heart, as it is the country I was born in, as well as a country I have visited many times growing up. To see the German flag incorporated very nicely into the cigar band was an instant attraction for me.

Quesada is a relatively new company to me as I have only smoked two of their other blends. One I liked a lot, one I hated, so I'll leave it at that. Time to light up another Oktoberfest and see what it brings.

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto Extra
Length: 5.5
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Dominican Cibao Valley
Binder: Domincan
Filler: Domincan
Price: $8
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light 

Just like I said above about the attractive band design on this cigar, the stick itself holds up well on the eye test also. The wrapper is VERY oily and has a ton of tooth to it. If you like the look of dark cigars, you're going to love this one. The stick was firm when I squeezed it, but not to hard, so I figured it would draw well. The pre-lit aroma contained cedar and earthy scents and the cold draw tasted as such also.

First Third   

My Quesada Oktoberfest opened up a little rough with the first few puffs being quite bitter. After the bitterness subsided, my flavor palate started to pick up what I would describe as some very dark flavors. Think of burnt coffee and earthy musk and you'd be on the right path. The finish was slightly different and had some charred wood notes to it. If those flavors sound good to you then you will be very happy with how this cigar starts off because they are strong in flavor. For me it's not really my cup of tea and I was having a hard time enjoying it. The strength of the cigar's nicotine was in the medium range.

Second Third  

The second third of my My Quesada Oktoberfest was pretty much the same as the first third except for the charred wood flavors on the finish seemed to intensify and creep into the front of each draw. It was kind of camp fire-y to me and again, was not really what I was looking for. The other flavors of burnt coffee and earth were still prevalent but started to fade off a bit. I should also mention that my particular stick needed a few touch ups along the way to keep the burn straight. I'd guess that might have something to do with how oily this wrapper is. The strength was the same as the first third; a solid medium.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

I'm not having much luck with final thirds on my reviews recently and this one kept the streak going. During the final third of my Quesada Oktoberfest, the cigar started to make my mouth feel very dirty. The smoke was thick and hot, not thick and mellow like I've written about in reviews past. The flavors stayed the same and were very in your face right until I put the stick down (again, if this dark flavor is the profile you enjoy, and I know many do, make sure you try this cigar for yourself.) Just as consistent as the first two thirds, the strength was solid medium.

 

My final thoughts on the Quesada Oktoberfest? I smoked one one of these in early October that my friend Pat (@oneputter on twitter) hooked me up with at my football tailgate. It was outside and the air was slightly cool and after I finished smoking the stick I thought, "Hey this is a pretty good cigar." The one I smoked for this review was inside and with me fully paying attention to it and only it, and it was a different story. Maybe there are some consistency issues with this blend or maybe this cigar is just better for an open air environment? Either way this cigar was disappointing this time around.

Would I buy it again? I'll keep smoking Quesada products because I like what they are doing (especially the Espana line because it is awesome), but I think I will pass on buying any more of these.

Would I buy a box? At this point I would not buy a box.

Dan