JDN Rosalones Review

6/27/2014

Cigar: Rosalones by Joya de Nicaragua 448 Consul
Size: Robusto, 4.7”x48
MSRP: $6.25
Strength: Medium
Wrapper: Criollo
Origin: Nicaragua

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Prelight: The blotchy, ruddy-brown wrapper is toothy and smells extremely floral. There is a slight hole in the wrapper. (Don’t worry, it’s not beetles. The hole is oblong and is clearly a defect in the wrapper prior to rolling the cigar.) The foot is also floral smelling, with a little chocolate to it. The cold draw is spot-on and tastes like chocolate covered nuts. I hope this cigar smokes as good as it smells.

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1/3: I am hit with floral cedar right off the bat. There is a thick mouth-feel to the smoke which leaves my tongue a-tingle. I am also picking up on a little earth and pepper, but these are minor compared to the woodiness of the first third…until I reach the transition; earth becomes a key component to the flavors.

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2/3: Chocolate also kicks in at the transition to the second third, creating a delicious earthy, chocolaty, floral, woody profile. I notice the cigar is beginning to get real soft and hot. The ambient is 86*/35%. There are also notes of nuttiness to this Nicaraguan puro.

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3/3: So far, the burn has been good. Not perfect, but good. The ash is beautiful and lasts about an inch (or more) at a time. The flavors are mellowing in the final third but the cigar is still floral and earthy. The nub gets really woody at the end, reaffirming this cigars origin.

Overall: Not bad. This would be a good cigar in the winter months due to its nice size (more of a corona in my opinion) and medium strength. For those looking for a Nica puro that isn’t too heavy or spicy, I definitely recommend this cigar, especially since it is readily available on CI sites.