Moore and Bode

Up for review today is another blend from Moore and Bode, a little known brand based in Florida. This brand, though, is not to be underestimated. The last Moore & Bode cigar I reviewed, the Moore & Bode Candela, earned an overall score of 91 (excellent).

In this review, we’ll look at the Moore & Bode Adelante 5 x 46, which features tobaccos from five countries.

Product Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Moore & Bode Adelante
• Wrapper: US Grown Connecticut Shade
• Binder: Asian
• Filler: South America, India, Caribbean Islands
• Size: ‘Winged’ Townie (5″ x 46)

Appearance & Construction

The Moore & Bode Adelante features a light brown Connecticut Shade Grown wrapper. The wrapper is has a slightly rough texture, with some noticeable veins. When squeezed, the cigar is fairly solid with a bit of give. Off the foot I pick up aromas of dusty wood and tea leaves.

The band leaves a bit to be desired here. I had a hard time getting a clear photo of the band. First because the band is absolutely tiny, and secondly because the printed lettering on many of the bands I’ve seen is actually blurry. Hopefully they figure that out sometime in the near future.

The draw has a bit of resistance (probably a 7 out of 10 in restrictiveness), and reveals an interesting note, similar to salami. Definitely a first for me as far as pre light aromas go.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

After toasting the foot, I light up and am greeted by copious amounts of thick, toasty, mild bodied smoke. The flavors are nuanced and complex: light cedar, toasted bread, herbs, black tea (Earl Gray, I think). The retrohale is very mild, with twinges of cinnamon spice and sweetness. It may be the most delicious and distinct retrohale I’ve ever experienced.

At an inch in, the burn is a bit wavy and the light gray ash is holding strong. The flavor has inched up but is still extremely mild. The herbal / tea notes are less prominent, and lightly toasted bread, vanilla, and touches of spice here and there. This profile continues until the second third.

In the second third, the body and strength inches up just a touch. At this point, I’m comfortable classifying the smoke as what most smokers would understand to be mild in body.  The flavors though, are still clear and distinct: cinnamon (a bit stronger now), subtle white pepper, cashews, and light wood. The cigar continues to smoke well: lots of smoke, extremely smooth, and only a bit of waviness on the burn.

In the final third I run into an issue when I try to peel off the small dot of a band. Even though I tried to remove it gently, it still broke the wrapper and peeled off a piece. Not a huge issue, but one I could see being a consistent problem with this band design.

From a flavor standpoint, the final third is also where a bit of unpleasant bitterness enters in, which is a common risk with producing an extremely mild cigar. The bitterness throws the balance of considerably, muddying the flavors the palate and on the retrohale. As much as I hoped the last 10 minutes of the cigar would turn this flavor around, they don’t.

Conclusion

Despite the issue with the band and the bitterness at the end, the Moore & Bode Adelante is one of the finest mild blends I’ve ever smoked. The flavors are clear, discernible, dynamic, and for most of the cigar, perfectly in balance. This cigar is easily worth a box purchase if you can find it. My only gripe with the brand as a whole is that Moore & Bode blends are difficult to identify.

Final Score: 93

Up for review today is a cigar by a relatively unknown brand called Moore & Bode. Though you may not have heard of it, the company is not new to the cigar world. The Florida based company has been in operation since 1990. The website claims that Moore & Bode “remains a privately held cigar manufacturing company with some of the most sought after products in the market. Among these is the Moore & Bode Mark of premium handmade cigars acclaimed for absolute excellence in manufacturing and uniquely beautiful flavor and aromatic qualities.”

Since receiving a package of cigars for review from the company, I’ve been looking forward to reviewing the Candela. Not only is it a beautiful cigar, but one whiff off of the foot told me that it would provide a unique smoking experience. The question of course is, “in a good way, or bad?”

Let’s find out.

Product Details

• Cigar Reviewed: Moore & Bode Candela
• Size: Toro (6 x 50)
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Candela
• Binder: U.S. Dark Fire Cured
• Filler: Europe and Caribbean Islands

The company holds most other details secret. According to the website:

The origin and details of Moore & Bode’s leaf tobacco sources are kept secret. Together with excellence in manufacturing, it is this unwavering commitment to privacy that secures its cigar products’ distinct identity and position in a very competitive industry…

For its current production the company sources tobacco varieties from regions across the globe delivering an attractive and complex range of character to the consumer.

Appearance & Construction

The Moore & Bode Candela is striking first and foremost because of its bright green candela wrapper. The wrapper itself is quite beautiful, with a few significant veins, light oil, and a velvety feel on the fingers. The black and white band, though a bit blurry, complements the green candela wrapper well.  The cigar is very soft when squeezed, and its consistent down the length of the cigar.

The foot gives off extremely unique aromas, dominated by a strong herb note. On top of that are bright touches of white pepper and garlic. The pre light draw is about a 6/10 in terms of the amount of restrictiveness. It’s very clean, with the slightest touches of grass and sweetness.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Moore & Bode Candela kicks off with mild bodied, smooth smoke (and great smoke production). The finish is extremely clean, and the smoke is highly aromatic. Initial flavors include oak, sweet spices, herbs, and cream. The retrohale is pleasant, with touches of white pepper and sweetness.

By an inch in, the burn is almost completely straight and the mostly white ash is still holding on. My only complaint at this point is that it seems that the cigar has trouble staying lit past about a minute or so.

Heading into the second third, the flavor and body builds from mild to about halfway to medium, though the texture remains very fine. No change in flavors, save a bit of cinnamon entering the aroma. The cigar continues to have a tough time staying lit, but never goes out completely.

In the final third, herbs and grass notes become prominent in the overall profile, along with leather and a stronger spice on the retrohale. The oak which had rounded off the flavors in the first half of the cigar is much less significant than before.

Conclusion

The Candela from Moore & Bode delivers a pretty awesome smoking experience. Mild but robust, clean but flavorful. Most importantly, the cigar introduces flavors that consistently complement each other well.

This cigar is not easy to find. If you are interested in purchasing Roy & Bode Cigars, contact their team via their website.

Disclaimer: this cigar was gifted for review by Rob Moore of Moore & Bode cigars. Fine Tobacco NYC retained all editorial rights in writing this review.

Final Score: 91