Recluse Cigar Company, led by J.R. Rodriguez, is dedicated to making the absolute best cigar they can through unique innovation. Starting with the Recluse OTG in 2012, the company has since produced more blends, all of which are manufactured by Tabacalera Leyendas Cubanas. These new blends, such as the Amadeus, are cigars offered in ten sizes, three of them being completely new sizes that have never been made before (labeled the Kanú by the Recluse company). All cigars are made exclusively from leaves that have been through not one, not two, not three, but eight fermentation cycles before being rolled into the stogy now I hold in my hand. Let’s see if those extra five or six fermentation cycles made a difference.
Form and Substance
Vitola: Robusto
Wrapper: Connecticut Seed/Ecuadorian Shade
Binder: MBC (proprietary)
Filler: Dominican Ligero, Dominican Viso, Dominican Seco, USA Pennsylvanian Broadleaf
Dimensions: 5’ x 52”
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Aesthetics, Construction and Feel
In spite of the ridiculously prominent leaf stems, the Recluse makes for a great first impression. The wrapper bears almost no veins, stems aside. In spite of the occasional spaces, the wrapper is is also well-constructed with a solid box press construction. The body is a bit flexible and there are no soft spots; a sure sign of careful and meticulous work on the part of the roller.
Smoke and Flavor
First Third: The first puffs are an unwelcome challenge due to a tight draw, which refuses to let up. The burn is also off to a rough start; there’s no canoeing, thankfully, but the burn is uneven at this stage. Fortunately, the flavor gets better immediately after the first few puffs. The difficult foretaste of bitter wood soon softens into a smooth cedar, simultaneously sharing the foreground with a lovely note of butter and supported by a creamy undertone. A touch of coffee also appears here and there, adding some extra zest to the mix. The smoke clouds are medium-volume throughout.
Second Third: This is where all the pieces star falling into place. At this point, the brilliance in the construction becomes apparent; the burn evens out, and the multi-shaded ash has no flakes, solidly holding its form even when it starts tilting. The draw remains tight, but the smoke clouds begin to thicken. Here, a subtle spice note joins the coffee in the background, intermingling with the butter, cream and wood. The spice is followed up by a hint of caramel in the background as the the final third is approached. At the same time, the cedar note becomes more pronounced, embedding itself into the palate and drying it.
Final Third: The Recluse is now on the home stretch as the lips begin to burn with each puff. As the ash finally falls off, the cedar and spice gradually take over the mix. The butter gives ground, but still maintains a presence, fighting the spice and coffee for its rightful place in the foreground. The coffee and caramel, now firmly established in the mix, remain in the background. They are eventually joined by a nearly undetectable touch of sugar cane. Suddenly, the spice and the cream merge together into a combined third note, sharing the foreground with the cedar and butter. Concurrently, the many background notes also converge and meld together. The result is a delicious, well-balanced mix of flavors that brings the smoke full circle into a harmonious close.
The Final Verdict
The flaws in this blend came out with guns blazing right from the get-go; there was trouble with the draw, trouble with the burn, trouble with the flavor. Fortunately, this meant that the flaws immediately got out of the way to make room for the virtues, which far exceeded the flaws. The brilliance of both the flavors and the way they intertwined with each other demonstrates creativity in the blending process. But most importantly, the smoke itself was enjoyable overall. Recluse still has a ways to go (who doesn’t). But in the mean time, they’ve delivered a truly great connecticut cigar that any serious aficionado should try.
Final Grade: A-
Tips for a Perfect Smoke Experience
While this is technically a connecticut, the Amadeus still has some power to it, so balanced it out with something warm and sweet. Black coffee with sugar should do the trick.