Cigar: Alec Bradley Tempus Terra Novo
Wrapper: Honduran
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan
Vitola: 5x50
Price: $130/box of 20 of CI. Got these off cigarmonster for $17 a five pack.
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Setting: Deck, about 78 degrees out and breezy at 4:30pm. Pairing with a Snapple Peach Tea.
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Pre-light: The cigar has a pretty fancy band, as well as a foot band and came in cello. The wrapper is a nice dark chocolatey brown with some small to medium sized veins. The cigar is very firm minus a single soft spot about an inch from the foot. I must say this cigar has a wonderful aroma to it of sweet and spicy tobacco. The foot has that nice barnyard smell to it as well as a bit more spice that tickles the nostrils. The cigar cut easily using the Cranial Screw Top Method[sup]TM[/sup] and the draw was slightly tight with again the spicy sweet tobacco taste.
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First third: The cigar took a bit to light up, I think due to the breezy conditions. The draw is a bit stiff but smoke production is good. Initial flavors are of earth and spice and are very pleasant. The pepper is there but not as strong as the prelight draw would have indicated. The finish is creamy with a slight bitterness, but the good kind like you'd get from a good cup of coffee. Speaking of which, coffee flavors are also coming out at the finish. As I get into the smoke the burn line is a bit thick and wavy, but the ash is nice- tight and compact. As I hit about the two inch mark the coffee flavors and some cocoa are starting to come to the fore.
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Middle third: Well, right about the two inch mark the as dumped into the ashtray as I set it down. The draw is still a bit tight but the flavors are hitting on all cylinders. The body is in the medium to full range, and feels heavy in the mouth. Through the middle part of the cigar the flavors are staying pretty much the same but that's a good thing. About the halfway point the draw started to free up a bit and some spicy woody flavors came out. The spice gives a nice tingle to the tongue but not irritating the throat at all. The burn line continues to be wavy but never needs any kind of touchup. The ash remains compact and firm and only dropped again as I got to the band.
Final third: The cigar is definitely in the full range now and with a pretty good nic zing too. The flavors keep flexing between the coffee and earthy flavors with undercurrents of wood and cocoa. Very pleasant. I've been working on trying the retrohale thing and it's putting a ton of spice in my sinuses. I think I'm gonna have to hold off on doing it more with this cigar until I have a head cold. The aftertaste remains very pleasant with lots of subtle flavors to enjoy while waiting for the next puff.
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Final thoughts: Wow, this is a great cigar. I can't seem to smoke anything else AB makes without puking in my mouth a little, but these really hit on all cylinders. I had a Magestri a couple weeks ago that was really great too. The burn was great, ashed only three times the entire smoke, flavors were great, and minus the tight draw it was about the perfect smoke. When these come back on cigarmonster I'm going to order a bunch, wish I woulda ordered more last time. Total smoke time was 90 minutes, all of them enjoyable.
Like it: Very much
Buy again: As soon as I can find them on one of the deal sites, too rich for my blood by the box at normal price.
Reccommend: Definitely
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