A pepper bomb.

Cigar Reviewed: Macanudo Emissary France

Smoked at: CT

The cigar I received to review was the Emissary by Macanudo. I let it sit in my humidor for about a week before I smoked it to allow it to rest. The cello was clear showing little to no ageing, and the humidity was at 60% via test hydrometer. The wrapper was a medium brown color with a veiny texture, and it had an uneven cap. The overall look of the cigar was good, and the banding was eye-catching. I chose a small V cut, and on first dry pulls, I got a very fruity taste, apricots, figs. This is something I often find leads to a cigar that I would like. Upon lighting it I was hit with heavy white pepper notes, cedar, damp earth, and what I would call a Dijon mustard-like flavor. It had a good draw with a slightly uneven burn through the 2/3 of the cigar, producing a white, toothy ash. At this point, the pepper notes were still there, and I began to get a leather taste along what I would say resembled the glue from an envelope. The last 3rd I had some dark chocolate notes and almonds.

Overall smoke time was 1 hour 15 minutes, and while this cigar was not quite in my usual palate range, I would say it is a good cigar for a medium-strength smoker looking to push their boundaries into a more full-bodied smoke.