No pictures sorry it's too dark out side for my Iphone. This would be my first "review" but it's more of a discussion/rant/comments.

First off I'll admit what drew me to this cigar was a few things.
1. Metal band, kinda odd never seen that before (of course this is what my B&M said sold their boxes)
2. Price $9-10, not too heavy on the wallet. Especially for a limited cigar.
3. It was a limited Maduro
4. I love trophies! Tubos, coffins are nice. Metal band Awesome :-). If I pay a good amount for a cigar it's nice to have something to remember it by, bad or good.

At first glance I noticed a few things
1. Odd shape, was kinda bumpy and not uniform
2. Metal band has it's disadvantages as well. *tears up wrapper, doesn't come off*

So anyways on to the cigar.

It lit up easily and burned even for the first quarter inch after that it needed a touch up. First thing I tasted....Chocolate! Like opening up a can of Hershey's chocolate powder. This was followed by some nice pepper, earth and leather. So far I'm like it!

Get about 1/3 through it and I notice something.. I'm drawing and I feel a piece of something......IT WAS WOOD! Literally wood! Pulled that out of the cigar and it snapped like a twig.

The next 1/3 smoked A LOT better, that twig was plugging up a good part of the cigar. The same flavor just a bit more intense. Nearing the last third and after I clipped the end *mutilated it trying to get out the piece of wood* the metal band slid off. Only to find.....another piece of wood.

Last 1/3 I smoked half of. Same flavors again, and a bit more intense. After 2 pieces of wood removed the smoke is MUCH fuller and velvety smooth. But curiosity got the best of me and I knew there was more wood in the darn thing so I took it apart and of course a third piece of wood about 2 inches long.

Final thoughts:

This is a limited cigar my B&M would only let me have one of. The quality control....awful. This was my first Macanudo and I'm not impressed at all. What could've been a great stick was completely ruined by a poor experience. I figure if this is what happens in a limited I'm afraid of their regular lines construction is like. After this stick...I probably wouldn't buy another Macanudo unless it was limited and I had confirmation there wouldn't be anything in it.

I'd give it a 73/100. Some burn issues, wood in the cigar. Metal band damage to the wrapper. Especially since I had to chuck the last 2.5 inches of the stick.
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Thanks for sharing Bill...nice review. Sounds like it started out like a champ...then disappointed. :-)
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Pretty much, the middle was it's peak...after some twig removal it was smoking like a champ. I probably just got a bad stick. It definitely had some serious potential.
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That's disappointing. The half dozen or so of these I have had were quite good. Suprising even myself that something with flavor like that had a macanudo label on it. I can tell you one thing that is interesting about those metal bands... If the band won't come off the cigar... It means it has been over humidified. The bands never change size... Vice versa... If the band Is too loose the cigar has been underhumidified. There are obviously a few other factors involved but it's a good indicator of the rh in which the cigar has been stored.

Keep an eye open, Bill.
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It's not that it wouldn't move it would. just only about an inch or so. But this also points to the construction it's all bumpy and whatnot, it if was ENTIRELY flat....it would definitely come right off. It was stored in my humidor for a few weeks at 60-62 RH. So I can't imagine over-humidification. However maybe it could've used a bit more rest. But alias I was only allowed to buy one stick for some stupid reason. It was on the shelf with the rest of the cigars in the B&M Humidor. Maybe if I go back they might have another.

I hear ya Ninja I've heard bad things about Macanudo and after trying this (still realizing mine was a dud) I definitely think they have some potential with this stick.
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A buddy of mine bought a box of these. He told me the first inch or so was good, but after that it was horrible; typical Macanpoopoo
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The whole stick pretty much tasted the same, just more intense as it went on. It definitely wasn't worth nubbing I can say that, I dropped it off somewhere around a quarter left.
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Just checked the box I have. All the bands slide on and off easily. Haven't smoked one yet, but they look good.

As for flavor variations thru-out the cigar: DON'T expect that from a Mac. That IS NOT what Macs are known for. They are developed for consistent flavor. That's just their planned design. Anyone that smokes a Mac expecting great bursts of intense flavor changes has purchased the wrong cigar. Buy an Opus X if that's the desired outcome.

Not slamming anyone. However to slam a cigar line because it is asked by a smoker to give a profile it wasn't designed to provide isn't being fair to the cigar. Personally, I occasionally like a cigar that I know will give me a consistent flavor from start to finish. I'm probably an oddball that way!
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If anything the only thing I'm slamming them for is wood in my cigar. I agree Opus X are fantastic flavor changing smokes. I figured I got a dud, as far as the bands hmmm..... Take a smoke and see what you think. I'd like to get a review from someone who got a good stick. See if it's worth picking a few more up.
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Oh, NO!!! I definitely wasn't aiming at you! A MOST excellent review! And I agree, the "wood" is definitely upsetting! If you will PM your addy to NinjaVanish, he will send you some of the sticks that have just the paper bands for you to compare with the metal banded limited edition one you smoked.

I smoked one from my box this afternoon. No construction problems, and taste was mostly semi-sweet leather for me all the way thru. I didn't get as much chocolate flavor as I get from some other maduro's, but I got the exact same burn issues I have with 90% of the maduros I smoke outside. Generally by the time I get to the last 1/3, I have to do some touch-up to control tunneling, as the thicker maduro wrappers always seem to absorb humidity from air the longer I smoke it. But, I only had to touch up once.

The metal ring is darn close to a size 9 1/2. The same size as my wedding band! would make a great ring, but just a bit too wide for the first joint of my finger, impeding the bending of my finger.
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Yeah the ring definitely would result with knuckle injury. I had the tunneling as well but it evened out pretty decent. I may have it with the torch once, maybe twice. Now the padron I smoked today...MUCH BETTER. No burn problems held the ash like a champ. Much more chocolate taste as well. :-):-)
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Bill

Here are some pictures to add to your thread:
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Thanks Cliff!

I smoked the sucker at night and couldn't get a picture. I've got a new camera coming in though so that should change a few things.
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