The cigar: Defiance (by Xikar) The Guardian
Nutritional information:
Vitola: 6.5 x 52 toro
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo shade grown
Binder: Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Nicaragua
The marketing:
On our quest to find the finest cigars, every road led to Jesus Fuego. His rich heritage - a fifth generation Cuban tobacco grower and expert blender, has resulted in this perfectly balanced cigar. Smooth and rich, has an incredibly luxurious Cuban seed shade grown Criollo wrapper aged 4 years. Enjoy!
See a seductively smooth Nicaraguan Shade Grown Criollo wrapper. Feel the flawless construction. Light, and experience a smooth smoke with a hint of spice that resonates on your palate. Relax with an earthy, rich taste to the very end. Balanced yet complex, this cigar was made for your moments of triumph. Now, revel in the fact that you're protecting your right to this simple pleasure, just by smoking DEFIANCE Cigars.
I smoked this cigar in a blind tasting. Here's my take on it:
Prelight: The wrapper was a dusky milk chocolate with some moderate veins. The cigar was nicely bunched, rolled well, and firm but not hard. It looked like there was a triple cap, but I can't say for sure. I thought I detected some cinnamon in the aroma from the foot, and the cold draw had definite notes of milk chocolate.
Construction and burn: I liked the draw, which was easy but with the slightest tug. The cigar lit pretty easily and burned pretty straight. There was a little bit of a run in the beginning, but it straightened itself out after the first 1.5 inches and stayed fairly straight to the nub. The ash was medium gray and moderately firm, dropping in inch-long chunks. The cigar delivered good amounts of smoke and lasted close to 90 mins.
Flavor: At the very start, there was a decent amount of chili pepper on the back of my palate, but it was layered over some rich flavors, including milk chocolate, some cream, and a faint sweetness. The initial spice faded in the first third, allowing cedar and coffee to come to fore. The flavors became rounder and softer, with a medium body and a moderately short finish.
There was a nice transition into the second third: the flavors became smoother and still rounder and softer, with barely any spice. A deeper sweetness emerged, the sweetness I usually associate with Nicaraguan tobacco. The profile was creamier, too, with some coffee, and at one point I caught a buttery note.
Then another nice transition into the final third. The spice started to kick in again, beginning on the back palate and then growing fuller. I tasted cinnamon, like a Red Hot candy, some cedar, some leather, and later some amaretto notes. I really enjoyed these flavors. The spice grew stronger, and while I felt a tingle on my lips, the spice was never overpowering and the flavors were in good balance until the end.
Overall, a very interesting and flavorful medium bodied cigar. Recommended.
[Reply]
