Hammer + Sickle Trademark Maduro Review

A month ago we took a look at the pre-release of the cigar once known as Icon with a maduro wrapper. The Trademark Maduro was officially released at the 2015 IPCPR in New Orleans and since it is now on the shelves we give it, its official review here at The Cigar Authority.

Made at the Tabadom factory in the Dominican Republic the cigar is the latest release from Hammer + Sickle which also makes Vodka and Ginger Beer. With that said and done I opted to pair this cigar with a Moscow Mule.

Cigar Review: Hammer + Sickle Trademark
Size: 6 x 50 (Toro)
Wrapper: San Andres
Filler: Dominican Republic
Binder: Dominican Republic
Strength: Medium
Source: Two Guys Smoke Shop

The Look: The San Andres wrapper that adorns the cigar once known as Icon is a natural looking Maduro. By this I mean the cigar does not have any additives to make it look darker, which is always a plus. The cigar is toothy looking and feels like fine sandpaper under the fingers. The cigar is flawlessly and seamlessly rolled with no soft spots and a well packed foot. The cigar however does feel little light in the hand. The band is black and silver, instead of the white and silver on the natural.

The Notes: Made at Tabadom, the cold draw is as expected with that Henke Kelner trademark barnyard notes of hay and wood with a touch of mushrooms. The aroma off the foot reminds me of manure, which according to many is the ultimate compliment you can pay to a cigar.

As we smoke through the first third the cigar is similar to the pre-release but there is more sweetness this time around. The notes of carrots and mushroom remain but there is a cocoa like note present as well on the finish. The sweetness is enticing and reminds me of how a maduro was before dark was associated with strength.

In the second third of the cigar the mocha becomes more of a dark chocolate notes over continued earthy components. The slightly vegetal component remains, and is a nice contrast to the sweetness. As the second third comes to a close some spice develops through the nose and on the lips moving this cigar toward the higher end of medium.

The last third of the Trademark remains sweet with chocolate notes over a base of earth. The pepper through the nose is so subtle and the aroma of the cigar is enjoyable. The short finish doesn’t overload the palate which make this a winner in my eyes.

The Burn: Looking at the ash of the Trademark Maduro one can see the magnesium spots which looks like braille to the naked eye. These spots for me are always a sign of a cigar that grew in a near perfect environment. The burn was perfect and the combustion line razor-thin. The draw was perfect and there was an above average smoke production.

The Finish: It’s a rarity to find a maduro cigar that is built the way a maduro once was and when you find it, it is like finding a needle in a haystack. Coming across a maduro that isn’t blended to what cigar smokers expect is a nice surprise and the sweetness doesn’t overpower the palate making this a maduro you can have with breakfast or any time of day.

Score: 91
Price: $8.99

Bullet Points
(Random Thoughts While Smoking)

• The cigar had to change its name from Icon as there was a Bahia already with that name. Due to the trademark issue the cigar ironically got a new name; Trademark. Cue the Abbott & Costello routine.
• I love how the black and silver looks on the band with the slight honeycomb embossing.
• Smoking this cigar made me realize how much I miss the classic (sweet) Maduro versus the new Maduro which is built on strength.
• I paired the cigar with Hammer + Sickle Vodka and Ginger Beer; aka Moscow Mule
• The extra month aging between pre-release review and today’s review really did the cigar justice, I can’t wait to see what 6 months does.
• Smoking time was 1 hour 30 minutes.