Smoked: Caldwell Long Live The King

Smoked at: West Chester OH

In fairness to Robert Caldwell, I'm posting two reviews from opposite ends of the spectrum. Today's smoke was an Eastern Standard Corretto. A bit of a loose draw at first which tighten up a bit by the second third. Good amount of thick smoke and a fairly even burn througout. The flavor profile was rather lackluster. It did have the creamy, peppery, nutty (perhaps walnuts), wood (cedar maybe). It just wasn't anything special which I have come to expect from a Caldwell. Now I know a lot of smokers like the Eastern Standard but cigars are a matter of personal taste. I rate it somewhere between it's OK and alright - just a degree above plus-or-minus zero. I thought a Charter Oak Connecticut or Macanudo Inspirado White would edge it out in a photo finish. Hey! But that's me. I'll give it this. It had a somewhat even burn, a good amount of ash and a nice nutty, peppery retrohale, but not overly peppery. I finished almost to the nub so it wasn't a bad cigar. Maybe I just wanted to get my money's worth. Waste not. Want not. Perhaps I should try a Pacific Standard. I may be smoking in the wrong time zone.

That said, earlier this week I experienced a Caldwell Long Live The King for the first time in a lancero - or a Jalapeno being Caldwell's Style. It is a SUPERB smoke. Paired with a dram of Port Charlotte 10. '

Very complex flavor profile. So much going on it's hard to identify all the notes. Woodsy, clearly cedar, but maybe some oak in there too. Creamy, sweet (tough to clearly identify the sweetness, maybe maple syrup, vanilla) nutty (walnuts, maybe a hint of cashews, more like reaching into a can of mixed nuts, for a puff or two thought I got a hint of coffee, mingled with an array of spices, pepper on the retrohale, not overwhelming.

One of the best smokes I have experienced recently. The flavor was like turning up the volume on the cigar. Kind of like listening to Van Halen, Led Zepplin, Guns N Roses. Best heard LOUD. I gave the attributes that to the vitola. If only ALL lanceros had that construction. I toasted the head and never even reached for my torch start to finish, down to the nub. Perfectly even burn, no touch ups, perfect draw. I can't say enough about the cigar. Kudos, Mr. Caldwell on a terrific smoke!

Next up: the maduro, cigar budget permitting.