Inspiravi Pennsylvania Oscuro Corona
(I smoked this cigar 2 days after I got it. I do not know how long this was aged before being shipped, but am guessing that Inspiravi doesn’t have an aging room where cigars are sitting for 6 months to 3 years before shipping them out.)
This will be done according to the old SMOKE magazine style of reviewing.
0.0 - 2.0 = poor/inferior quality
2.1 - 2.9 = fair
3.0 - 3.5 = good
3.5 - 4.5 = excellent
4.6 - 5.0 = superior
1) Aesthetics: At first glance, this is not the prettiest of cigars, veiny wrapper and evidently a binder that is fairly lumpy. The way the wrapper is folded over to produce the closed foot, and the pigtail cap, definitely make this unique and appealing, while the slightly glistening wrapper indicates the presence of some luscious oil.
Score for aesthetics: 4.0
2) Pre-light Construction: This is one of the firmest rolled cigars I have had, and the heft pronounced it is FULL of tobacco. Before lighting I am wondering if this will even allow a draw. While it isn’t wet, it appears that it might possibly be on the freshly/moist side.
Score for Pre-light construction: 4.3
3) Post-light Construction/How it smoked: As I expected, the draw is a bit tight, but I am not looking for a draw poker. It keeps a decent burn line and is like a rock from start to finish. (I have only smoked the one, so I do not know how the others will perform, but I have them dry-boxed in the expectation that they might be just a bit over-humidified, and that is causing the to be overly firm at this point.)
Score for post-light construction: 3.5 (though this would change if the draw is more open on subsequent cigars)
4) Flavor and strength: I am not bowled over by the strength of this cigar, but the flavors are bold. I like the simple sweetness, but there is a light pepper and some nutty flavors that flicker in and out. About half way, some cocoa develops and the pepper fades, but the sweetness and nuttiness still predominate. In the last third, a floral note appears, the cocoa fades, the pepper fades to just a slight spiciness, and the sweetness still predominates. Throughout, there was a nice complexity. As I have given these flavors, there was a something else that sort of overarched the whole smoke that made this unique. Other than saying it was a rich tobacco flavor, I do not have a description.
Score for flavor and strength: 4.6
5) Aftertaste/Finish: Light cocoa and spice, and nice sweetness lingered upon the palate, for a bit, it is not heavy or cloying, but it does linger nicely.
Score for aftertaste: 4.3
6) Aroma: I enjoyed the room note – sweet and rich seems the best way to describe it.
Score for aroma: 4.7
7) General Comments: I got two of the coronas in the Pennsylvania Oscuro and two in the Ecuadorian Shade wrapper from Jake to review as I ordered a few other sizes from him. I enjoyed the first smoke (yes, this was written after only 1 cigar), so consider that as you ponder the entirety of this review. All his cigars came with the same closed foot. It appears as if the wrapper is pulled over the foot to keep it covered, rolled to the cap, and twisted into a pigtail to close it off – but that is only my inexperienced eye – and it is a look that I like.
Overall score for the cigar: 4.3
8) Recommendation: Yes, I recommend this cigar. It is unique enough in flavor that people should give this a try. But just as unique is the wrapper application, worth a look all on its own. But as I always say, don’t smoke something because I like it, try some yourself and make your own opinion, I think you won’t be disappointed.
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