Black Widow

The Iconic Leaf Recluse Cigars OTG (Off-The-Grid) was released in 2012 and marks the first release of the Recluse Cigars brand. Rolled at the Tabacalera Leyendas Cubanas in the Dominican Republic and headed by J.R. Dominguez, the company takes pride in its 8-fermentation process for each of its leaves that go into each of the Recluse’s product lines. Scott Weeks of Recluse Cigars sent in samples for this review of the OTG. Cigar: Iconic Leaf Recluse Cigars OTG

Blend Specifics:

Vitola: Box-pressed Robusto 5”x52
Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Binder: Select / Proprietary
Filler: Dominican Republic

Appearance and Construction

The Recluse OTG has a very dark chocolate, mottled and rustic looking wrapper, minimal veins, slightly oily and grainy texture. Featuring a double cap and two bands. There seems to be a bit of press pinching on the edges of the cigar but overall the construction looks good. Even bunching shown at the foot. A little spongy give but mainly has a dense feeling, even though the cigar feels very light in the hand. Smoke and Flavor Characteristics: Cold Aromas: The wrapper gives off a sweet chocolate with a hint of cherry and wood. The foot opens to a good deal of spice and black pepper. There’s also a good amount of dry earthy oak, a little cherry sweetness and dry cocoa powder. The cold draw is slightly loose and just fine. There’s a dry sweet wood to be found here, with a touch of black pepper and sweet tobacco.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

First Third: Right off the bat there’s a heavy coffee bean with a dry bitter oak. A touch of pepper but not heavy at all. The draw is very open and pulls effortlessly. Starting off, the burn line is razor sharp and crisp. There’s also a dry grass and hay note to be found and compliments the very bitter wood notes. A hint of cocoa pops up here and there and the finish is long and lasting with lingering wood notes and the rising of a pepper kick in the back of the mouth. The aroma is dank and pungent with cedar and heavier and darker earthy wood notes. The sitting aroma also has notes of chocolate and salt that waft around. The ash formation and rings are nice and tight. The profile of the first third has the body at medium to full, the flavor at medium to full moving up to full, and the strength at medium to full. The black pepper moves up to full on. There are also cooking spices like cumin that can be found intermixed. The ash falls off as one solid chunk at 1.25”. Second Third: The second third picks up from where the first was, the flavors haven’t changed much, but that’s not an unwelcomed encounter. The black pepper rises a bit more and the chocolate has also become slightly more pronounced. The wood and coffee bean still hold the main stage, though. The aroma is a wonderful bouquet and the draw gives off plumes of creamy smoke so easily. Removing the first band goes without a hitch. Well into the second and the razor sharp burn line holds steady. Also, a bit of a nutty creaminess enters the ensemble, reminiscent of an almond or cashew, and is very smooth and buttery. The profile here stands at medium to full in body, full but starting to drop to medium to full in flavor, and medium to full in strength. The second band comes off just as easily as the first. Final Third: The Start of the third, the flavor and the strength has come way down. The black pepper is still present but mainly hangs around through the tingle on the tongue. The coffee bean had dropped and been replaced with a semi-sweet tobacco while the dark wood still holds strong. The aroma is till quite pleasant as well. The profile ends with the body at medium to full, the flavor at medium to full and the strength dropping to medium to medium to full.

Final Thoughts

The Recluse OTG is quite pungent and earthy with a full of flavor character early on and that plays through for most of the smoke. Though, somewhere in the final third, most of that drops. The myriad of flavors coalesces into a more straightforward heavy wood, by way of oak and semi-sweet tobacco flavor. The smoke production and burn characteristics hold true all the way through and provide for a constant and cool burning session. Early on, well really the first two thirds, the blend is surprisingly complex and robust. Notes of coffee bean, cocoa powder, dark oak, hefty amounts of black pepper, and the occasional cooking spices and buttery nuttiness dance around the palate and make for an interesting smoke. The aroma and smoke that pours off the foot has such an intoxicating bouquet as well, leading to this cigar becoming a wonderful experience. The smoking time was 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Grade: A