Hoyo Epicure Deluxe (LCDH)

5x52, 68% humidity

Beverage: water

As I inspect the construction of this cigar, I am drawn to how tiny the vein structure is within the wrapper leaf. I've had cigars with big veins in the wrapper and I've had cigars with hardly any veins in the wrapper leaf. This one is different from any other I've seen. There is a slight coffee and leather aroma from the foot.

This is a healthy robusto cigar and I expect it to deliver a volume of smoke with a slight draw. The pre-light draw confirmed that this was going to be the case.

Upon lighting the cigar, I drew smoke that even if if had not been banded I would have immediately identified as a Hoyo de Monterrey. From the first draw, the leathery flavor profile of Hoyos was up close, personal, and lots of it. There is no harshness as is common on the first few draws of a cigar. The leather flavor practically slaps you in the face.

The aroma is of very strong tobacco, which is exactly what I expected. Even though it wasn't harsh to begin with, the flavor smooths out even more in the first inch. Hints of coffee begin to present themselves. The cigar continues to produce volumes of smoke at the slightest draw.

February 11th, 2019

Size of cigar: 5 inches by 50 ring gauge

Charles Robinson of Tennessee was looking for a distributor for these at the 2018 IPCPR, and was kind enough to give me this cigar to sample. It has a smooth Habano wrapper with smooth nutty aromas coming from the foot and the wrapper. The bunch is firm and the cold draw is perfect. Today’s beverage is a cold Topo Chico.

The initial flavors are mostly of earthiness and walnuts. The retro-hale is mildly peppery. The draw remains perfect, and the burn is perfect as well.

In the first third, the earthiness shifts to a more wooded flavor (more oak than cedar) while the rest of the flavors remain consistent.

During the second third, a bit of sweetness joins the flavor profile. The burn remains perfect. This is an excellently constructed medium-bodied cigar with a great degree of complexity. The pepper in the retro-hale has moderated and is very smooth.