Tabak Especial Red Eye Review

4/30/2014

Cigar: Drew Estate Tabak Especial Red Eye
Size: Robusto, 4.5"x54
MSRP: $8.10
Strength: Medium-Full
Shapes: Robusto
Origin: Nicaragua

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Prelight: This cigar has all the non-standard features: pig-tail, shaggy foot, and foot band. The maduro wrapper is simply gorgeous. To say it has minimal veins is an understatement. This stick is smooth and silky. The aroma off of the wrapper and foot is sweet cocoa with a slight floral background. The cold draw leaves a very sweet flavor on the lips and the draw tastes just like the cigar smells and is a little on the easy side.

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1/3: The shaggy foot lights easily and gives a good-and-strong ligero flavor before it hits the wrapper – nutty with a hint of spice. Then, sweet cocoa immediately comes into play. Occasionally, I get a taste of what seems to be pine, but the flavor is mostly sweet chocolate and cream. Towards the end of the first third, coffee emerges as a flavor.

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2/3: This smoke bomb is burning nice and straight. Any woody or nutty flavors that were once in this cigar are gone. It’s all mocha. Sugar, cream, chocolate and coffee. And a strong coffee at that. The kind you get at a greasy spoon diner. But, at the very end of the second third, cedar is noticeable.

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3/3: The final third carries on with the mocha theme, but gradually the cedar takes over as the sweetness fades and the nub seems to be non-infused completely. Woody with just a hint of chocolate.

Overall: A pretty good infused cigar. The flavor changes weren’t incredibly complex, but it did have a few distinct levels. Full bodied, this cigar delivers what it promises: strong ligero smoke with coffee and cream. I feel that when my infused humidor needs restocking, this will definitely be on the buy list. Between the Negra Cafecita and the Java Latte, this one is a close second to the Java.