Mike Ditka will forever be known as the coach of Da Bears. But his career is much more than that. As a player he was Rookie of the Year, a 5 time pro bowl selection and a 5 time All-Pro tight end. In addition to the personal accolades he was a member of the 1963 NFL Champion Chicago Bears and won three Super Bowls, one as a player (Cowboys Super Bowl VI) and two as a coach (Cowboys XII, Bears XX).
He was named to the NFL’s 50th and 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and today Mike Ditka is a cigar smoker who works for ESPN where he serves as a commentator.
Cigar Review: Camacho Ditka Game Time
Cigar Size: 6 x 48/54/48
Wrapper: Nicaragua Corojo
Binder: Brazil
Fillers: Honduras and Dominican Republic
Strength: Medium
The Look: The cigar features the classic looking 11/18 salomon. The band which doesn’t sit flush due to the odd shape sports Mike Ditka’s signature as well as information for the 50th Super Bowl on February 7th. The band also denotes the cigar is exclusively hand-built for Coach Ditka. The chestnut-brown wrapper is flawless with a nice amount of oils though the cigar does feel light in the hand.
The Notes: The aroma of the cigar as it comes out of the cedar coffin is sweet and contains notes of vanilla and cedar. The aroma drifts upwards as the cigar rests on my desk calling me and begging me to light it up. The cold draw is woody with a hint of spices but the aroma is the real story here.
Once the cigar is lit the dominant note as to be expected is cedar, but I am quite surprised by the spice that exists on the cigar. It’s very different from what I had expected. As the palate adjusts to the spice some notes of vanilla and cinnamon come into play with the vanilla becoming almost as dominant as the cedar.
In the second third of the cigar the spice begins to tone down a notch though it still mingles with the hearty cedar notes experience in the first third. There is still a sweetness present that is reminiscent of vanilla and a touch of floral notes. What really amazes is the aroma of the cigar that is sweet and woodsy. As the cigar rests it calls to you, inviting you and calling you back.
The final third of the Ditka Game Time becomes a bit earthy with a hint of nuts. The sweetness that was experienced in the first two-thirds slowly fades away as the cigar comes to a close. The aroma of the cigar is incredibly enjoyable with some heavy cedar notes on the retrohale and some white pepper notes.
The Burn: The 11/18 saw a quick burn in the first third of the cigar as it moved up to thicker ring gauge. Once the midway point was hit the burn slowed down and I got almost 2 hours out of the cigar. The thin combustion line revealed a light color ash that held on for almost the first half of the cigar. The draw was perfect and the cigar remained lit from first light to last puff.
The Finish: I must admit I have a thing for Camacho cigars that come in a wood coffin. Just like the Camacho Liberty before it; the aroma off the cigar is worth the price of admission. While this cigar might just be the perfect cigar for Super Bowl 50; it goes beyond that. The Ditka Game Time has some similarities the Liberty and for me makes this cigar collectible and worthy to add to your collection.
Score: 92
Price: $16.99 / $305.99
Ditka Game TIme
Ditka Game Time Cigar
Ditka Game Time Burn
