Saturday, December 22, 2007

Fire by Indian Tabac Maduro

Fire by Indian Tabac maduro robusto
$3.60 (B&M), Size: 4.5", Ring: 52
Costa Rican maduro wrapper, USA Connecticut Broadleaf binder, Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers

"I have only one burnin' desire; let me stand next to your... fire" - Jimi Hendrix, Fire


Fire, a cigar blended by Rocky Patel, is a nicely balanced blend of triple fermented wrapper and fillers.

The triple-fermented Costa Rican wrapper is a medium chocolate color, toothy, and with a few pronounced veins. To a squeeze, the cigar feels nice and solid.

Initial draw has some moderate resistance, feels almost tight. There must be some tobacco inside the wrapper! The draw felt a little restrained while smoking, but never being difficult. Like its namesake, my Fire burned a bit unpredictably, requiring a remedial torching mid-way through the cigar. The ash was a light, mottled gray and held for an inch or so.

Prelight flavors of maduro-sweet wood with some pepper promised a tasty smoke to come. After toasting, the flavors are immediately smooth and present, tasting of leather and roasted peppers. The flavors immediately struck me as very similar to the La Gloria Cubana maduro, but a shade milder and slightly sweeter. After the first inch, the flavor mellowed some, with a roasted nut harmonic appearing. Halfway, a sweet pepper flavor crept into the finish, remaining in the background through the rest of the smoke.

Fire is a tasty, medium-bodied smoke, and another fine job by Rocky Patel. I'll have to hunt up a couple more, and save them for my rainy day.

No comments: