News came out over the weekend, that Grace Sotolongo got engaged, so we want to offer her congratulations and we figured what better time to review her cigar. If we don’t like it she’s still on that engagement high. For those of you who don’t know Grace Sotolongo she is the person behind Hechicera.
Grace got her start at My Father Cigars, before moving over to Fabrica Unidas which is home to CLE, Asylum, Pura Soul and Wynwood Cigars. The Hechicera Maduro is her sophomore cigar which a follow-up to the original Hechicera line. The word Hechicera means sorceress or witch.
Cigar: Hechicera Maduro
Size: Robusto (4.5 x 50)
Wrapper: San Andreas
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium-Full
The Look: The wrapper on the Hechicera Maduro is one of the silkiest looking San Andreas wrappers I have seen. A wrapper that normally has a rugged look, is smooth to the touch with a nice amount of oils. The band of red, green and gold has a dizzying effect on the cigar which feels hypnotic and a the secondary band of blue and gold denotes Maduro. The stick is firm to the touch with a normal weight for a Robusto.
The Notes: The wrapper of the cigar has an earthy aroma to it, while the cold draw has some coffee notes and the foot has some spice and barnyard notes. In fact the foot of cigar set off a sneezing frenzy which continues when I first lit the cigar. There is an abundance of spice through the retrohale and some notes of coffee present.
As we smoke into the first third of the cigar there is a classic San Andreas profile that you either love or hate. I like to describe it as a slightly mineral-esque coffee and earth note with some developing chocolate notes.
The second third of the cigar the chocolate note moves to the front with coffee as a secondary note. As the cigar closes in on the last third, there is a dark chocolate note that begins to take control.
In the last third of the Hechicera Maduro the spice ramps up through the nose, and the cigar has a primary note of dark chocolate and espresso with a surprisingly short finish.
The Burn: The burn of the Hechicera Maduro has a nice thin burn line, but it did become jagged at times. The medium color ash was slightly flaky but held on for more than an inch at a time. The draw was slightly loose for my tastes but fits into the realm of acceptability.
The Finish: The marketplace is getting crowed with all the San Andreas Maduro wrapper options out there. It’s to the point where a lot of them are starting to taste the same, at least to me. The Hechicera did nothing for me to stand out above the rest. While enjoyable the cigar seems common instead of the rarity I am seeking.
Score: 88
Score: $7.25 (MSRP)
Hechicera Maduro
Hechicera Maduro Foot
Hechicera Maduro Burn
