Rating this cigar was an agonizing ordeal. Not because of its quality- it's a first-rate baton with an exquisite Oliva El Bajo wrapper, terrific drag and burn, and lots of smoke. So what's not to like? Nada.
Then there's the taste. Robust full-bodied flavor, yet never harsh. Nice spicy taste, but not "in your face" like the nasty RP Prodigy. And then there's the chocolate. Yep, real chocolate. Rich, dark chocolate. Crazy chocolate! Not the imaginary chocolate you read about in hyped cigar reviews. Authentic, certified, guaranteed chocolate. Who needs a bogus flavor-infused cigar when the Real McCoy tastes like this? Not I, says Mr. Mamey.
But here's the thing. How do you rate a great cigar that's not in your wheelhouse? My preference is for Cubanesque sweet, creamy, toasty cigars like the Padilla 1932, Padron 1964, Man O' Wars, rum, baseball, and movies. The DC Max isn't that, but Oh! the chocolate! So if you like cognac, soccer, opera, and the Opus X, meet your new BFF. You could rate the DC Max a 5 and I'd be powerless to quibble. But for me, it's a 4.5 unless, of course, I'm having a chocolate craving with no Mrs. Field's cookies in sight. By the way, the chocolate doesn't come cheap. Be prepared to pay a Godiva-like $10 for the robusto and $13.00 for the toro.--Mamey
Dang, sounds like a very interesting cigar, but at $10, I'll have to think twice before buying. I will be motivated to buy just to see what real chocalate flavor actually tastes like in a cigar!
ReplyDeleteDiamond E
Based on Mamey's intriguing review I purchased this cigar.
ReplyDeleteAs Mamey stated, the quality of this cigar rivals any that I have smoked. Great drag, no re-lighting, and even burn. One did not feel rushed to take the next drag for fear of that the cigar would go out.
As Mamey also stated, it does have a real dark chocalate taste to it, and one can taste the quality, but the taste did not leave me with the "I can't wait for the next time" feeling. So althought the quality is a 5, it is not my favorite taste, but it was done right.
My humidor is divided into two sections; on the right side there are cigars I am going to try and cigars I am going to smoke on a regular basis and on the left there are cigars that have at least a CS Rank of at least 4, and want them to age a bit. Becasue of the appreciation I have for a high quality cigar, I want to put this cigar on the left side, but the lack of the "want to smoke it again soon feeling", I can't, so all things considered this ciagr earned a
Diamond E CS Rank of 3.7...did not make the cut for the left side of the humidor.
I can't disagree with Diamond E's analysis and respect his CS rating. This is not my preferred taste profile either, but it's the only cigar that really tasted like chocolate.
ReplyDeleteMamey is right this could be a 5 in its taste category. One last comment, this one of those cigars that if you smoke to the end may give you a buzz.
ReplyDelete