The Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 is the newest release from Kyle Gellis and Warped Cigars. Like other Warped cigars, this blend has been positively received by many reviewers, and I honestly can’t think of a release from the company that hasn’t.
Still, this is a unique release. For one, it has only been released in one size that resembles a slightly longer than normal robusto. Second, it uses some notable tobaccos, including a Corojo ’99 wrapper from Nicaragua.
Let’s see how this cigar stacks up.
Product Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988
Wrapper: Nicaragua (Corojo ’99)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua (Criollo ’98)
Size: 5 1/4 x 50
Appearance & Construction
The Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 comes with an understated presentation. No gaudy brand names on the band, and it’s small in comparison to most cigar bands. I have no idea what “976212” is referring to, and I couldn’t find any additional information on that online.
In terms of the product itself, the outer wrapper is extremely smooth (silky actually), with few major veins. The cigar has a moderate amount of give when squeezed and seems to be packed mostly consistently though there are a few variations in give. Smelling the wrapper itself brings subtle notes of creamy cocoa and nuts. The aroma off of the foot is full but not in your face, giving off mostly notes of honey, dry dirt, toasted bread, and mild leather.
The draw is perfect, and the cold draw delivers notes of almonds, cereal, coffee beans, and a slight amount of finely ground pepper and cinnamon.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 opens up with medium bodied, textured smoke. It’s obvious that this is a Warped cigar just by the flavor profile. Overall, it is split between bitter notes of leather and wood and sweet notes of cream, cinnamon toast, and chocolate brownies. I’d say the balance is found, though just barely. The bitterness is actually quite strong. The meanwhile retrohale is mostly mild mannered, though it packs a lingering white pepper that warms the throat and sinuses. Smoke production is average.
Half an inch in, the burn is impressively straight, and a really interesting note enters in, something something akin to raisins or maybe even figs. At this point the bitter notes have taken back seat, though are still present complementing the sweeter notes. For the better part of the next half inch, the balance of flavors shifted almost each puff, creating an enjoyably dynamic and complex experience.
As the Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 burns deep into the second third, the profile develops by shifting slightly toward a more savory character, with notes of salt and brown sugar barbecue sauce. This is balanced by sweet notes of graham cracker, molassas, and cake. The strength of the retrohale has almost entirely disappeared, bringing forth light, sweet notes of vanilla and powdered sugar. Just delicious, and most importantly all well balanced and harmonious. Body wise, the cigar is now below medium, but still full of flavor. Construction remains perfect.
In the final third, the strength ramps back up to medium, with oak, espresso and white pepper dominant and secondary notes of cream, cinnamon, and vanilla. There’s a bit of harshness in the final third, but it mostly finishes disappears by the end.
Conclusion
The Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 is a delightfully complex, flavorful, and (mostly) balanced smoke. The profile overall seems to be a mix between something like Snickerdoodle cookies and savory meat. If that sounds like a strange pairing, I understand. It’s the balance and movement of flavors that makes it all work together, and that’s a rare feat.
Up for review today is the Diesel Whiskey Row, a collaboration between AJ Fernandez and Rabbit Hole Bourbon. The cigar continues a growing trend of aging tobaccos in ex-whiskey or beer barrels to add another layer of complexity. In my experience, most barrel aged cigars tend to fail for one of two reasons.
I can’t taste the influence of the barrel aging at all
All I taste is sickly sweet whiskey influence
As far as the second reason is concerned, this could be because the blender doesn’t know what they’re doing (it is a new process, after all), or because the barrels used to age the tobacco were former homes to garbage whiskey. Fortunately, Rabbit Hole Bourbon seems to be a competent spirit, with positive reviews all over the place online. So I have a fair bit of hope that, between AJ’s skill as a blender and good whiskey barrels, we’ll end up with a nice product here.
But I could be wrong. Let’s light up and find out.
In a statement about Diesel Whiskey Row, AJ Fernandez had this to say:
“A lot of passion went into this process and I am very pleased with the results. Aging the binder leaf in the bourbon barrels added an unexpected layer of flavor and aroma right beneath the wrapper. When you smoke Whiskey Row, you get a unique and complex experience that engages the senses unlike any other cigar I’ve smoked.”
Appearance and Construction
I really like the presentation of the Diesel Whiskey Row Robusto. It’s got high quality paper double bands and a nice muted color palette over the Ecuadorian wrapper. The leaf is smooth with minimal veins, and the cigar is packed consistently the length of the cigar.
Off of the foot, there’s some subdued notes of cocoa, nuts, hay, barnyard, light spice and the smallest hint of vanilla (maybe the whiskey influence here). The barrel aging is much more pronounced on the cold draw, which features strong wood, various kitchen spices, coffee, and a slightly sweet ethanol note. The draw is good mostly free, about a 6/10 in terms of restrictiveness.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The Diesel Whiskey Row Robusto opens with voluminous medium bodied smoke that is toasty, textured and full of flavor. And man, it’s good. On the palate are notes of toasted bread, creamy cocoa, and black pepper. The barrel aging is evident, imparting bourbon like notes of charred oak, slight caramel and vanilla. The retrohale is the only drawback: it’s all black pepper and completely overpowering.
An inch in, the Diesel Whiskey Row Robusto has developed a solid white ash with a perfectly straight burn. Not much has changed flavor-wise, but the pepper on the tongue is now so strong and lingering that it’s hard to enjoy the other flavors. I’m hoping the cigar can claw back a bit of balance.
The solid white ash holds all the way to the start of the second third. At this point, the pepper moderates itself a bit, giving creamy cocoa, nutmeg, leather, and charred oak a bit more space to shine. The retrohale is still mostly pepper, though with some added charcoal. Vanilla, spicy cream, salted meat and oak make up most of the aroma. Construction remains flawless, with great smoke production, cool smoke, and a straight burn.
The cigar remains mostly balanced until the beginning of the final third. Here it again pepper dominates the palate, with bitter espresso and dry wood the only other perceptible notes. A bummer because when Diesel Whiskey Row is in balance it’s a hell of a cigar. Thankfully, the last two inches of the cigar find better balance, showcasing creamy cocoa, coffee, leather, charred oak and baking spices.
Conclusion
Despite being absolutely dominated by black pepper at times, the Diesel Whiskey Row Robusto is an extremely enjoyable smoke. The influence of the barrel aging is unmistakable, yet manages to avoid the overly sweet profile that characterizes barrel aged cigars of lesser quality. The interplay between the sweet and bitter elements of the profile is commendable and creates a dynamic smoking experience. Definitely a cigar to buy.
As a side note, though we never pair cigars with spirits during reviews, I have found Whiskey Row pairs remarkably well with bourbon (Pritchards was my choice). The sweetness of the bourbon balances out the overly aggressive pepper nicely.
Nodal “preaching” at the NY launch of Aging Room Pura Cepa. All photos courtesy of John A DeMato (http://www.johndemato.com)
Editors Note: the following is the first in a series of articles focused on blenders, makers, and growers in the art and process of cigars.
This article is about legendary cigar blender Rafael Nodal, owner of Boutique Blends Cigars and currentl Head of Product Capability at Tabacalera USA. The article is written from two points of view: that of Stephen Tesher, a new lover of great cigars (The Newbie) and Andrew Perelson (The Enthusiast).
Andrew Perelson: The Enthusiast
One autumn day around six years ago on the train heading into Manhattan for a couple of client meetings, I realized I would have time (lots) between customer meetings. So I searched up the nearest decent cigar retailer on Wall Street which happened to be Barclay Rex (now moved to Pearl St). This particular NYC retailer is on par with the Davidoff experience. Truthfully, my budget is never much and I usually look to buy only what I will be smoking and, if I love it, a couple of more for the humidor.
As I entered, I saw a well-dressed gentleman fronting several beautiful looking boxes of smokes. He greeted me saying, “My name is Rafael and I have a small brand called Aging Room. Would you like to try some of my cigars?” After measuring me up like a good tailor with some questions about preferences he suggested his Aging Room Quattro F-55. I looked around and realized I was one of only two customers in the premises; the other was in the lounge yacking away loudly on a cell phone (probably selling his Myspace shares).
The first thing about Rafael Nodal you notice is he smokes a cigar like most people drink an extremely fine wine or whisky. He keeps it lit perfectly and the most persnickety person could not ever think of telling him to put it out. I am pretty sure he could smoke a cigar with no interruption on the Capitol Veranda or in the lobby of the St. Regis without anyone blinking.
As we all know, a great cigar stirs great thoughts. I told him I had been sitting on many questions about the industry, and asked if he would mind discussing some of them. He listened graciously and provided the level of detail only rivaled by a passionate professor. For my questions, I started slow, asking where he sourced his tobacco and where he made his cigars. Then I moved into his “who’s who” of who he works with and how those relationships improve his product. I also asked about how a cigar goes to market. The conversation lasted two cigars (for me…his just kept going).
This conversation introduced me to a level of product excellence that I didn’t know existed. I knew he could continue answering questions, but I had enough to chew on and some notes I would research when I hit my home office.
Beyond his expertise, I learned we had in common a love of great music and the ability to play (he classically and me rock/punk), as well as personal rule of putting family first. He is not political, but he is a patriot. He told me how he came to this country on a flotilla from Cuba as a young man and how he wakes up each day knowing the opportunities this country provides are the stuff of dreams. He spends those moments when he is not “preaching” just relaxing with family, looking at the ocean, or visiting the opera. It’s clear to me now that my passion for cigars and everything behind them was launched by a desire to be a Rafael Nodal superfan.
Before I left, I went to the desk and counted all my cash and bought several more cigars not knowing when I would find more. Right before I walked out the door to my next appointment, I asked Rafael if I could friend him on Facebook. To my surprise, he said yes. This is how we have kept in touch for these years. I realized he had a hobby of living a great life while working on the road and preaching. I am amazed at what he can squeeze into a day in Dallas, Madrid, or Lyndhurst. In one of our many meet ups over the years we had snacks and drinks with a couple of lobbyists and Christian Eiroa in DC and after, I found out that the cigar he gave me was the very first Romeo by Aging Room released into the wild. This cigar remains my all-time favorite anywhere.
As Rafael’s leadership at Altadis USA grows, I have told him about my desire to again crank up my learning by digging into the Grupo de Maestros from Tabacalero Garcia. I’d also like to understand his strategy for raising an already high bar for the Altadis brands inclusive of H. Upmann, Montecristo, and Romeo y Julieta. One of the things that is clear to me is that the Altadis brands with the Grupo de Maestros of Tabacalero Garcia (and Flor de Copan) are in the process of performing a transformation led by Rafael and special guests.
Stephen Tesher: The Newbie
On a hot and humid New York summer evening, Andrew and I walk into The Carnegie Club for a cigar event hosted by Matthias Clock and Fine Tobacco NYC. As soon as we enter, it’s like we’ve crossed through time, back to a day when smoking indoors was not only accepted, it was encouraged. The Carnegie Club is a true New York establishment. The greatest Jazz musicians and performers played here, and the place holds on to a time-gone-by, protecting it, preciously and joyously.
Immediately upon entering a stout man plucked an Aging Room Pura Cepa cigar from an open box, snipped the cap with a straight cut, and stuck it in my hands. Without pause, he lights a torch lighter, properly toasts the end of my cigar, and gets the thing going. With one puff I enter 1950’s New York. A smoke-filled joint. A jazz band, playing classic standards. A woman’s sultry singing. I’m looking for Sinatra, and Jackie Gleason somewhere in the room. Sadly, they’re not there. But Rafael Nodal is, and I’m smoking his cigar.
I could feel the legacy of great cigar lovers of yesterday, like Babe Ruth, or Franklin Delano Roosevelt. With plenty of couches and arm chairs, there isn’t a bad seat in the house. The place was full. Mostly with men and a couple of ladies. Guys in suits, or business casual. Some in a t-shirt, but most dressed respectably. This is where a sophisticated working man comes to relax, have a drink, maybe meet a girl who like cigars, too.
Andrew’s filled me in on Rafael Nodal. Andrew has a talent for painting people as larger than life figures. He is truly fascinated by people and sees the best in them. It’s a gift that makes him a great salesman, and a great friend. In this case, Rafael met the description. He was generous and warm. Hanging with the cigar-smoking men of New York City is not my comfort zone, but Rafael eased me in, and made me feel part of the greater cigar-lovers family.
The Aging Room brand and its parent Boutique Blends are Rafael’s creation and his stewardship is noticeable in each release under Altadis distribution. Moreover, the Pura Cepa was made by his colleague and friend Nestor Plasencia for Boutique Blends.
As an apprentice of the art of cigar appreciation, I found this blend to be magnificent. Its flavor and intensity remained consistent and complex from end to end. It’s a smooth smoke, less peppery than most of similar strength; velvety by intent, but not thick on the palette. I can tell you it paired wonderfully with the house Ginger Ale and a bottle of Pelegrino.
What’s What and Who’s Who with Rafael Nodal
His Company: Boutique Brands
His Distribution and Partnership: Tabacalera USA and their Altadis division
His personal brands: Aging Room, La Boheme, Swag, Oliveros plus the Altadis brands as he is integral to their direction
Home: Miami
His makers: Tabacalera Palma, Tabacalera de Garcia in Dominican Republic, and Plasencia S.A., and A.J. Fernandez in Nicaragua
Hobbies: Road Warrior, Cuban Coffee, Cooking, and Music
His people: His awesome wife Alina, sons Carlos and Rafael A. Nodal, Abdel Yousef Fernandez, Grupo De Maestros de Garcia, Jochy Blanco, Nestor Plasencia, and EPC (Ernesto Carillo)
About the Authors
Andrew Perelson has been creating innovation and concepts for technically focused businesses for 25 years. He also has some easily identified passions like his wife, kids, and family. In the summer he splits time between Metropolitan New York and the Adirondacks where he gets to pursue a boat that runs, great cigars, and a campfire.
Stephen Tesher is a writer and educator. He writes plays, screenplays and novels. He writes a column for ProFootballTalkLine.com and maintains a blog called Teshtalk.com. Tesher is currently co-authoring a book about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) for EdTechTeam due out in early 2019. As an educator, he would like to tear apart the entire system and start over, making education meaningful in the lives of students and teachers. Until that happens, he creates real-world learning opportunities that make a positive effect in the lives of his students. As far as cigars are concerned, Stephen Tesher blames Andrew Perelson for introducing him to the world of fine tobaccos.
Up for review today is the Daniel Marshall Black Label. I don’t have much backstory on this cigar as the internet is a bit sparse, but you may know the name Daniel Marshall from the brand’s humidors which enjoy a great reputation around the world, or from the gold leaf wrapped cigar that pops up on social media every now and again.
In any case, what I do know is that the Daniel Marshall Black Label is produced at the Quesada factory (a good sign) and features a Connecticut Shade wrapper that’s been aged five years. All that said, let’s get on to the review.
Product Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Daniel Marshall Black Label
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade (aged 5 years)
Binder: Mexican
Filler: Dominican
Size: 5 x 52 (Torpedo)
Appearance & Construction
The outer Connecticut wrapper on the Daniel Marshall Black Label is quite nice, as is the band that bears the Daniel Marshall signature. It’s a well presented cigar, but not an immaculately presented cigar, which you’d have a right to expect from a company that sells gold leaf wrapped cigars. The main issue is that the black, white, and gold band just doesn’t seem to be very high quality. There’s smudging of the black part of the band over the gold detail in multiple spots, giving the cigar a shoddy look.
That aside, it is a well constructed cigar. It is packed pretty tightly, with a little bit of springiness when squeezed, and doesn’t have any soft spots. The draw is good, and the cold draw summons some freshly cut grass, mulch, and wood notes. Off of the foot are more grass and trace pepper aromas.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The Daniel Marshall Black Label kicks off quite mild, in both flavor and body. Smoke production is good, and the cigar overall strikes me as a classic Connecticut profile: silky texture, touches of sweet cream, but largely a mix of roasted nuts, cedar, and grass. The retrohale is almost non existent, with faint grass that has a touch of bitterness to it. As I burn past a half inch, a bit of vegetal and white pepper show up, adding some complexity and strength to what otherwise would be an overly straightforward experience.
It takes until well past the first inch for the ash to drop, and when it does the burn is razor sharp. Around the same time, the grass/wood focused profile shifts heavily toward sweet roasted nuts, with a zip of pepper that lingers on the tongue. The strength is higher, but still just above mild. I’m really beginning to be impressed by the performance at this point. The Black Label has a lot more complexity than I was expecting.
As the Daniel Marshall Black Label burns past the halfway point and into the final third, there’s a bit of bitterness that enters the flavor profile. The freshly cut grass note is dominant, alongside black pepper, old paper, and touches of sweet cream. Even with the bitterness, the texture of the smoke remains insanely smooth.
Conclusion
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from the Daniel Marshall Black Label. I’m glad to have been proved wrong, particularly by the development of flavors over the course of the cigar. Construction was nearly flawless, smoke production was excellent, and the smoke remained silky smooth throughout. That said, I’m the last ten minutes or so, the balance fell off, with bitterness intruding as it commonly does in the last third of many mild cigars.
The only way the Black Label could be improved in my mind would be for it to have a bit more strength to the flavors. Brands like a Nat Sherman and Moore & Bode each have blends that accomplish this and thus receive higher ratings (Epoca and Adelante, respectively).
Lastly, this is absolutely a morning cigar. Don’t smoke the Black Label late in the afternoon or at night. Chances are you won’t taste much of anything after your palate has been so exercised throughout the day.
A few weeks back, my wife Catherine and I traveled out to my home state of Oregon to see my family and childhood friends. We spent the first day in Portland doing nothing but sampling coffee shops and interior design studios (I know, I know). The rest of our trip was spent with family down in Redmond near Sisters, Oregon, which is home to Cascade Street Distillery. My dad happened to pick up a bottle of Broken Top Bourbon (thanks dad!), a two year old bourbon that’s the focus of our review today.
Product Specifics
Spirit Reviewed: Broken Top Bourbon Whiskey
Producer: Cascade Street Distillery
Mashbill: combination of corn, rye, and barley
ABV: 43.7%
Age: two years in charred new American oak barrels
Appearance
The label for this whiskey has a nice modern touch, but it’s just a touch kitschy with roughly 65% of the front of the label filled with a sunset photo of Three Sisters mountains. I say kitschy because if you’ve ever walked into a small town gift shop (of which Sisters has many) and bought a jar of honey or jam, or a bottle of local beer, or a t-shirt or candle, most all of them will feature some kind of photo of the area. Don’t get me wrong: people go to gift shops to find something that will help them remember their stay, so a photo on the product makes sense. But if you’re making serious whiskey with the eventual goal of being more broadly distributed, ditching the gift-shop vibe might be an important step.
Brutal? Maybe. True? Definitely.
In any case, in the glass, Broken Top Bourbon is a deep gold color with hints of red.
Alright enough philosophizing. Let’s get to the product.
Nose
Up front is some assertive ethanol, but right behind are lush aromas of honey, honeyed barley bread, and rye. Layered in are some jammy notes (I say Blackberry, Catherine says Strawberry). Overall, hard to pin down, but Broken Top definitely has a unique nose compared to most bourbons.
Palate
On point of entry, Broken Top Whiskey is fairly understated, initially delivering notes of honey, almonds, and a jam-like fruit note (Apricot, maybe?). As the liquid expands across my palate, the experience deepens, with caramel, more honey, bright spices, and a slightly bitter leather note which is a nice touch.
Finish
As sip shifts towards the finish, some typical rye spice notes surface, then are joined quickly with some accompanying floral and pine notes.
Conclusion
Broken Top Bourbon is a solid small distillery offering. Unlike many boutique bourbons, Broken Top Bourbon actually sips like something genuinely new. Not the most complex dram, but I found every glass had enough new to keep me coming back.
