We are back at it again with another selection from NUB. This time it is the Winter Blend. My normal preference is the 4x60. This offering was 5x42 Corona. I am always happy when I get to try a new NUB. I am a huge fan of there previous line of cigars with expectations of adding this one to the "would smoke again" list.
Stats:
Profile: Medium
Wrapper: Sumatra
Shape: Corona
Length: 5 inches
Gauge: 42
Country: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Sweet: Yes
Pricing: (Box of 20) - $123.00
(per stick) - $6.15
First Impression:
What is not to love here. First, it is a NUB which I am a huge fan of. The flavors they aimed for are warm and inviting. The smell of the cigar pre light is inviting. There was nothing found that would say anything other than your about to have an amazing journeyer of flavor.
Pre-Smoke Ritual:
I spent way to much time smelling this cigar. The creamy aroma was drawing me in. After the overdone sniffing process I made my cut. The cold draw was even better than the aroma. All the flavors hit me all at once. I was trying to keep up with them all. I did not want to focus on one. I swapped my focus of enjoyment through all of the flavors that hit me.
Lighting, Draw, and Burn:
This cigar took a little effort to light but it was well worth it. Once it was ready to go this thing stayed burning the entire time without even an idea of going out. The draw was good. There was some looseness in there but nothing to be concerned about. As stated the burn was firm and true. As with other flavored NUB cigars there will be a ton of smoke. It smelled great, ashed nicely, and keeps you wanting more.
Flavor:
The flavor of this cigar was so satisfying. The first third had a creamy hazelnut flavoring mixed with coffee and strong hints of mint. It tasted like Christmas to me. As I entered the second third the creamy hazelnut shifted to a warm or fire roasted flavor. The coffee stayed in the same position while the mint got stronger and more prominent. As I rounded out the final third it was heaven. All of the flavors seemed to have evened out so there was no star at this point. Everything mixed evenly and perfectly. The overall flavor of this cigar was absolutely amazing.
My Preference:
I rested this cigar for only one week. In my opinion it was ready to go right out of the box. As for cutting I went with a Colibri 1928 v-cutter. Lighter of choice was a classic brass Zippo with a butane duel flame insert.
Final Thoughts:
If you want to enjoy a warm Christmas feel anytime of year this one fits the bill. It is so rich with flavors that it can be an everyday smoke, dessert cigar, or used for special occasions. I would not hold this one for special occasions though. That means you would have to wait to smoke more. I am glad that I got a box of these. The only issue now is making sure I am able to grab another one of three.