This is a beautiful, well-made cigar by Tabacos de la Cordillera, a little known grower and manufacturer in Puriscal, Costa Rica. They use 47 types of pre-embargo “Ancestral” seeds that were originally from Cuba. These seeds have been genetically pure since before the Cuban Embargo.

I gazed over this great looking example. The wrapper was light brown in color, with no blemishes or variances in color. It was slightly “Toothy” on close visual inspection, with light veins. The body had a light box-press and was densely packed, while the aroma was slightly floral, with notes of toasted nuts.

I clipped the end with my Xikar Xi3 and gently toasted the foot with my Colibri Oscar. After a few moments of toasting, I take a few puffs to finish lighting the foot. I am rewarded with a nice, even glowing foot. The draw was firm, but not an encumbrance to the experience.

The smoke is sweet tasting in the beginning, with flavors of nuts and hints of nutmeg. These flavors continue for the first inch, and then mellow out. The ash was a nice salt and pepper color that held its grip until I brushed it off after and inch or so, falling flush with the body. There was some blistering of the wrapper in the first half-inch, but did not continue past that point, nor spoil my enjoyment of this cigar. Overall, it possessed an even burn throughout the smoke.

As the experience progresses, the cigar takes on some light cocoa flavors, with woody undertones. Coffee flavors start to dominate the last half of the cigar, as the body ramps-up to medium. The finish was short and woody.

This cigar has some very unique characters that are not present in many of today’s cigars. Some of you might say, “Cuban seed doesn’t make a Cuban cigar”. I’d say that you are absolutely correct, but even if you’re not in Texas, you can still enjoy a Texas BBQ.

This cigar will let you enjoy lost pleasures with flavors that most of us (at least in the USA) cannot experience, while allowing ourselves to enjoy the ”Cuban” experience without looking over our shoulders. This is a cigar that will satiate your desire for the “Old World” type smoke. A definite must for any humidor. We’ll rate this again in three months.

~Blake