Jimmie’s Cigars
Made by R.W. Nooney

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The history of this cigar is shrouded in mystery. From what I understand, @DogRockets got them from some random street person who claimed to be the manufacturer, and decided to share the wealth with a few selectively chosen bums (who must have pissed him off royally somewhere down the line). I’m not sure who Jimmie is, or why he spells his name like that, or who R.W. Nooney is. On the back of the band is says “RWN II 1970”. No idea about wrapper, filler etc., and the interwebs yield no clues other than that RWN is trademarked in Miami.

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This is an infused cigar – so infused that its aroma permeates anything and everything within a three-mile radius. It smells like an artificially flavored McDonald’s chocolate milkshake, though I guess it could be coffee. This is only the 3rd infused stick I’ve had, and the other two (an Acid and a Tabak Especial Dulce) did not make me a fan. At all. So already I’m the wrong guy to be reviewing this!

First surprise is that this cigar doesn’t have a sweetened tip. That already gives it an advantage over Drew Estate infused cigars in my book. This is a seriously box-pressed stick, and a big fat ring gauge which makes it practically square.

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It takes some serious effort to get this thing lit – lots of huffing and puffing. And to be honest it’s a pretty unpleasant experience so far. The taste on the lips is very bitter – not regular tobacco bitter, but I’m guessing it’s from the flavoring. Worse, though, is the incredible sourness! I don’t know how to describe it. Not lemon-sour, but more like sourdough bread.

That flavor is persisting through the first 3rd. Imagine dry sourdough toast, caked in unsweetened cacao powder.

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Entering into the second 3rd, these flavors are enhanced by a little coal and tar. This would be a good smoke for roofers.

One weird thing I noticed is that as you smoke the box press bulges and puffs out and the cigar gradually gets rounder. About halfway it’s getting spongey. Squishy almost, and it starts needing relights (and this is after being dry-boxed for 24 hours).

The draw is good, the burn okay, good smoke output and it seems generally well-constructed. It’s also really smooth and very consistent. Not much change along the way. I give up after too many relights.

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I felt kind of bad about all the ribbing I gave Jeremy about this stick, considering it was part of a surprise bomb and everything. As I lit up I thought how nice it would be if I could give it a great review, publicly admit my error, and bow to the wisdom of Jeremy, sage and oracle of all things Dog Rockety. It’s not that this stick is bad, it’s just that it tastes like chocolate-covered fecal matter. Maybe some guys like that combination of flavors. Who am I to judge?

All I can say is, I have earned the Don Carlos I’m planning on smoking this weekend!