Asylum 13 Ogre

Smoked: Asylum 13 Ogre

Smoked at: Fairfield, Ohio

Asylum 13 Ogre 652 features a Nicaraguan binder and filler and is covered in an interesting medium veined barberpole of Candela and Habano Maduro from Nicaragua. Add the green and brown paper long footer and you’ve got an intriguing looking cigar. The candela wrapper has some oily sheen. The habano is light sandpaper toothy.

Wood – cedar and oak, earth, vegetal, herbal, grass, leather, coffee, cream, and spice –heavy on the pepper. Chocolate, citrus and floral notes hit the background on a few puffs. The pepper subsides by the second third opening the way for more kitchen spices. The balance and complexity are both acceptable. It’s a medium-full bodied, medium strength cigar. It is a fuller body and strength than you’d expect from candela, but it’s a barberpole and the candela is only half of the wrapper. The maduro kicks things up a notch.

Construction: good open draw, fairly even burn line, abundant smoke production, and flaky salt & dark pepper grey ash.

The Asylum 13 Ogre was a bit heavier on the earth and wood notes than I anticipated. The pepper during the first third was a bit overwhelming, but it was tamed by the second third. I found the Ogre a reasonably enjoyable smoke. The intriguing appearance with the band, paper footer and barberpole wrapper added to the enjoyment along with the interesting mix of candela and maduro in the wrapper. I’ll give this is a 4 on the Cigar World Richter Scale.