Let us now discover Hidden Gem Cigars. Tobaccos sourced from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Honduras are used to create this limited run of cigars. 100% long filler aged 4 - 5 years to bring you a unique blend. 12 Cigars, 12 Gemstones, 12 releases limited to only 100 cigars per release. These releases are one and done, each release will be a different cigar blend and will never be release again. The first release which we will be reviewing is Ruby.
Stats:
Profile: Medium
Wrapper: Maduro (aged 6 years)
Shape: Sublime Vitola
Length: 6.5"
Gauge: 54
Country: Dominican Republic
Filler: Undisclosed
Binder: Undisclosed
Pricing: (Pack of 5): $56.00
First Impression:
I am definitely a sucker for limited releases and this was no different. I heard rumbles and whispers about this cigar throughout the cigar world. When it finally released I was overjoyed to put in my order. The packaging is simple and to the point. Brown bag material with an awesome Ruby sticker. Once you crack it open there is a beautiful Maduro wrapped cigar with an even more amazing band. Just looking at these made me start to imagine and actual taste what was to come before touching them.
Pre-Smoke Ritual:
I went a different route with this one than normal. I made a v-cut with a Colibri 1928 cutter and some extra holes around the cap with my Select Draw Cutter. I took my anticipated cold draw and it was heaven. Cedar and sweetness hit me right in the face. I even got some notes of Earth and cream floating int he background. Then it was on to the toasting.
Lighting, Draw, and Burn:
Lighting was very easy and even. The draw felt tight, but was extremely easy. Little to no effort was needed to gather a cloud of creamy smoke. This cigar burned at a medium rate. There was no touch-up needed throughout the entire smoke. The smoke itself was very white and pleasant to the nose.
Flavor:
One thing that I greatly enjoyed with this cigar was the consistency. The first and second thirds of it were identical in flavor with the final third having minor changes. The first and second third had a rich Cedar taste with a perfect amount of sweetness. Clear notes of Earth and cream stayed in the background, but were not ever out of the picture. There was just enough of everything to really level out the taste as a whole. The second third of the cigar remained the same as the first as stated above. Flavor layering flavor in just the right amounts. The final third of the cigar is where I noticed a change. The Cedar and sweetness remained in the front of the flavor, but the sweet seemed to pick up steam and have a greater presence. The Earthy notes and cream remained and I got the taste of bread coming through in the background. It was perfect.
My Preference:
Cigar was at perfect humidity on arrival, but I did give it two weeks rest in the humidor. I used two cutters on this one. A v-cut was made with a Colibri 1928 cutter and 9 extra holes around the cap with a Select Draw cutter. The toasting and lighting was courtesy of a brass Zippo with the duel butane flame insert.
Final Thoughts:
All I can say is wow. This was an amazing smoke and I enjoyed every minute of it. While the blends remained undisclosed I understood why at the end. Since this is a one and done release in such a limited quantity you would not want it to be copied. There was one negative that I did find. Once I smoke my 5 pack there is a good chance I may never get another one. Judging by the Ruby I would keep an eye out for the August release. You will be happy you did and regret it if you did not.