After a brutal winter that had me thinking about Miami, the end is now in sight. With temperatures in the low 40s this weekend, I think it is safe to say here in New Hampshire that the worst of the winter is behind us. The question is how long will it take for the 8 feet of snow to melt.
Today’s cigar the Miami Reserva according to the Casas Fernandez website is a super premium with perfect draw, balance, complexity, aroma and flavor. Now the question is, do we agree?
Cigar: Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva
Size: 6 x 54 (Toro Reserva)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium-Full
Source: Casa Fernandez
The Look: The brindle like wrapper that adorns the Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva is slightly rough under the fingers and reminiscent of fine sandpaper. There is a significant network of thin veins present with a few off them that are raised above the surface. The band which is cream, dark red, black and gold denotes Miami in the center and a secondary band denotes Reserva. In the hand the cigar has no soft spots and an average weight.
The Notes: The foot of the cigar serves up the aroma of a cross between a social tea cookie and animal crackers. I had to do a double take, but it reminds me of those cookies, and I can’t tell you the last time I had either one. The cold draw had some gingerbread and spice. This is like a cookie before you light it up.
Once the cigar lit I expected it to be stronger due to the fact they say they utilize medio tiempo tobacco which is the strongest ligero according to Casa Fernandez. There are notes of chocolate with a very earthy aroma.
In the second third of the cigar the dark chocolate notes remain and the cigar begins to take on an oak like wood note. The finish and the aroma remain earthy.
The last third of the Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva begins to lose the chocolate note and the hearty oak takes hold as the dominant characteristic. The strength of the cigar which steadily increased in strength is full by the time I put the cigar to rest.
The Burn: While the cigar burned even, on both of my samples I had an issue with the wrapper cracking which is visible in the third picture. It never got worse than as picture, but it was still a little frustrating. The burn line was crisp and the ash firm. The draw impeccable and it remained list all the way through.
The Finish: How do I score a cigar, specifically this cigar. It came advertised as being complex, but it was straight forward and consistent through each third of the cigar. However, it was enjoyable just not as advertised. The dark chocolate notes were a nice compliment to the earth and oak, but it did fall short of its billing.
Score: 88
Price: $8.75
Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva
Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva Foot
Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva Burn
