At the 2015 IPCPR trade show, Caldwell Cigar Company released their newest cigar Blind Man’s Bluff which is made at the same factory that produces Camacho. Made at the Agroindustrias Laepe S.A. in Danli, Honduras, the original release was a robusto, toro and magnum. A 4th size would eventually be released exclusive to Burns Tobacconist which is home to the yearly Chattanooga Tweet Up.
Recently, David Jones who runs leafenthusiast.com and works for Burn’s reached out to us and asked if we would be interested in reviewing the cigar. Burns was kind enough to send 3 samples of the cigar that is limited to a production of 500 boxes.
Cigar Review: Blind Man’s Bluff
Size: 5,75 x 46 (Corona Gorda)
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Honduran Criollo
Filler: Dominican Republic, Honduras
Source: Burns Tobacconist
Strength: Full
The Look: The mahogany color brown wrapper is loaded with oils. The cigar has some tooth to it as well as a couple of prominent veins. The roll of the cigar won’t win any awards as the cap is lopsided and the seams of the roll are quite visible. However, this isn’t a beauty contest so we don’t put too much stock into the appearance. The band which features a man in a bowler with his eyes blurred out stirs up thoughts of the east side kids, or the painting The Son of Man by Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte. The foot is well packed and the cigar has a hefty weight to it for its size.
The Notes: The cold draw of the cigar matches that of the aroma off the foot with notes of a damp hearty wood and some subtle pepper notes. Once the cigar is toasted and list the initial notes are of wood and spice.
Working our way into the first third of the Blind Man’s Bluff Corona Gorda the notes of oak are dominant but there is a slight sweetness in the background. Through the nose there is some earth and white pepper notes that almost border on wasabi. As the first third comes to a close the spice through the nose subsides considerably.
In the second third of the third the primary notes remain the same with elements of oak and earth, but lingering in the background is a slightly floral component that helps create a little bit of balance. And the end of the second third the white pepper notes return with a relatively short finish.
The last third of the cigar from Caldwell becomes predominantly earthy with continued pepper through the nose. The wood notes remain on the relatively short finish with a hint of clove.
The Burn: The corona gorda reveals a thin combustion line and a white ash that is firm with almost no flake. The cigar burns even and the draw is fluid. The ash held for more than a third at a time and remained lit from the first light.
The Finish: When Caldwell burst on to the scene after leaving CLE I had high expectations for the company. In my eyes those expectations haven’t been met and the company feels as if lately it has begun to focus more on limited edition smokes. On a personal note, I haven’t been a fan of their marketing which seems to be attacking others, ““If you’re not running with us, run from us” and “Sit around and hate and talk about your grandpa’s magic seeds.” With all that aside the Blind Man’s Bluff is a cigar that is a little one-dimensional with a bit of a kick from Uncle Nick. However if you like strong cigars this one might just be in your wheelhouse.
Score: 88
Price: $7.20
Blind Man’s Bluff Corona Gorda
Blind Man’s Bluff Corona Gorda Foot
Blind Man’s Bluff Corona Gorda Burn
