One of the cigars that garnered the most attention and buzz at the 2018 IPCPR was a collaboration cigar. It is distributed under the Royal Agio and it is being billed as the first collaboration in a series. For this first collaboration, the cigar named Dueto comes to us from Boris Wintermans and Ernesto Perez-Carrillo.
Cigar Review: Dueto
Wrapper: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
Binder: Nicaragua (Esteli)
Filler: Brazilian Mata Norte (Stalk Cut), Nicaragua
Length: 5.5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Size: Ovacion (Perfecto)
The Look: The Dueto comes packaged in 10 count boxes, with the lid and inside cavity being shorter than footprint of the box. Inside the cigars are laid out in a row of 10 and feature a dual band . The primary band showcases the Balmoral logo with the word Dueto below it on red artwork reminiscent of bunting. On the side of the band the signature of Boris Winterman from Royal Agio and Ernesto Perez-Carrillo of EPC are showcased. The lower band features the red artwork with the size beaneath it, in this case Ovacion. In the hand the cigar is heavy and firm with no voids of tobacco.
The Notes: The cold draw serves up notes of earth with a subtle paprika while the aroma off the foot and has some pepper in it. Neither the cold draw nor the foot was overpowering but it did enough to catch my interest as I get ready to toast and light the cigar.
Once the cigar is lit, a note that reminds me of chicory that takes me instantly to Café du Monde in New Orleans. As we move into the first third of the cigar I get notes of chocolate, chicory and a hint of nutmeg. The only thing missing is beignets and it would be as if I was sitting on Decatur street in the French Quarter. The retrohale of the cigar enhances the nutmeg component and adds a touch of pepper to the mix as well.
The second third sees the chicory notes remain but they are less intense than in the first third. The Balmoral Dueto continues to serve up notes of chocolate with nutmeg and a touch of American coffee complete with cream. The retrohale serves up pepper that continues to grow with intensity as we approach the last third of this excellent collaboration.
As we move into the last third, the chicory notes become more of an afterthought as the primary note becomes more of a traditional American coffee with cream. The nutmeg appears on occasion as the pepper grows in intensity especially on the retrohale. The finish of the cigar has touches of chcolate and nutmeg that linger slightly after the cigar is put down.
The Finish: Whenever a cigar delivers a flavor profile that triggers a memory it floors me and that is the case with Balmoral Dueto. While I haven’t smoked the other sizes as of yet, the Ovacion deserves an ovation. It’s by far my favorite cigar produced by Royal Agio and EPC and it sets the bar high for all future collaborations. This box worthy, if not multiple box worthy.
Score: 96
Price: $10.59 / $93.99
Balmoral Dueto Ovacion
Balmoral Dueto Ovacion Foot
Balmoral Dueto Ovacion Burn
