Smoked: Caldwell Lost & Found Backdoor Bambi

Smoked at: Sharonville, Ohio

I was finally able to find a 5-pack of the Caldwell Lost & Found Backdoor Bambi – the name (and sketch on the cigar band) probably inspired by an episode of The Real Housewives of the Dominican Republic. But I digress. Let’s light this up and see – or taste – what I’ve been searching for ‘lo these many years.

Flavor profile: Spice, some pepper, coffee notes, sweet, hazelnuts and cream. After a few puffs, it strikes me that it tastes a bit like Nutella – a hazelnut paste flavor. Interesting. It starts off spicy, but very little in the pepper department. The cigar gets more peppery during the last third. But this is a spice-forward stick.

This is a medium bodied cigar, which I’m pairing with coffee. I usually pair mild or medium-mild cigars with coffee, but this work sufficiently. A bite of dark chocolate puts the finishing touches on the pairing.

The retrohale includes strong black pepper, leather and earth. The construction is excellent. An open cold draw, decent smoke output, white firm ash that rolls off easily, never dropped off, and a consistent burn line – no touchups start to finish.

The L&F Backdoor Bambi could use a little more complexity but the flavors are quite enjoyable. I like this cigar a lot. I can't really find a flaw. 5s across the board. It is one of the better offerings in the Lost & Found line.