Size: 6 inches x 54 ring gauge (Toro)

I don’t live on the leading edge of cigar culture. Oftentimes, the latest and hottest cigars don't make it to my area for a long, long time, if at all. Some of you likely have the same problem. You hear all the hype about a new release, but can't get your hands on it. Such was the case for me with this offering. 

The Small Batch M356 was the darling of the year-end ratings back in 2012, but it took me well into 2014 to find any. And Aging Room has had two more successful product launches since then – the Quattro F55 and the Haveo.

The Aging Room Small Batch M356 Mezzo is a fat Dominican Toro sporting an attractive Sumatran reddish-brown wrapper with just a few veins and no visible flaws. The ‘cold’ smell reminds me of raisin and tea, and the sample squeezes alright. I prefer a punch cut, but a full cut is required to get a good draw and smoke from this one. The 51-minute burn is cool and mostly even. The resultant ash is smooth, sturdy and pale-gray with tiny segments. I'd rate the cigar a 4 out of 5 on construction.  

The blend of the M356 Mezzo makes for a medium to full-bodied smoke that is slightly sweet and well balanced. No brashness is evident. There are peat and earth notes with overtones of wood and nuts. The cigar has what I would call a ‘warm and friendly’ or ‘organic’ taste. I’ll score this one 5 out of 5 on flavor. Construction and flavor scores, totaled, equal 9 out of 10. 

My personal opinion is that everyone ought to have a few of these in the humidor. By now, they should be easy enough to find. And at $7.40 per stick, they won't break the bank.

CandidCigar (a.k.a. Brice Sikes)