Good afternoon smokers and drinkers. The holidays are getting in full swing, and with my debit card smoldering from running across magnetic readers, I am making time for a pre-work cigar. I am by no means in love with the holidays or my job, so finding some calm in the storm with a top notch stogie and a pot of coffee will allow me to take stock and get perspective for the day.
Hopefully the Ezra Zion Inception, the Gran Robusto, will give me the strength to fight my natural urges to sucker punch a mall Santa or scream profanities at somebody’s grandmother while trying to troubleshoot technical issues with her computer.
A nice hefty little cigar, the wrapper a 2007 Cuban seed corjo, is a nice reddish brown color that exhibits some significant veins. Despite a few flaws in its rolling, it is still a pretty looking stogie.
The initial light of this 5.25 inch, 50 ring gauge Nicaraguan parejo is bold, leaning on the full side of the flavor profile. Exhibiting a lot of generic spice, there is just enough nutmeg and cinnamon essence to bring out the sweetness in the tobacco.
Inching into the smoke, an earthy base develops, muting the bright spice and opening and mellowing the cigar’s profile to a more medium full body. This nice combination of spice and soil stays consistent for the rest of the smoking experience, only developing a very slight metallic ting as the cigar starts to singe the edges of its band.
At this point, perhaps brought on by the sticks strength, my lack of a breakfast, or a little from both columns, the cigar comes to a very enjoyable end for myself.
With the knot that was in the back of my neck evaporated in smoke, I reflect on the quality of the two cigars that I have had the pleasure to enjoy from Ezra Zion. A few years ago if you tried to market a cigar as being Cuban seed I likely would pass you over, as I have not, until this point, found much in them that reminds me anything of the few Cuban cigars I have had the pleasure of enjoying. This fledgling company has offered cigar smokers a pair of wonderful blends that, at least for myself, has whetted my appetite not only for more from the boys at Cigar Federation and their baby, but for Cuban seed cigars in general.
I brew and drink beer, smoke pipes and cigars, eat till I’ve had more than my fill, and escape in pulp rags till my eyes turn buggy. I don’t claim any expertise in any subject other than the chase of my own earthly pleasures. I write to help others find their own pleasures so that together we will decay in spirit with these lesser pursuits.