Warped El Oso Papa Review
Cigar: Warped El Oso Papa
Size: Belicoso, 6.0"x48
MSRP: $12.50
Strength: Medium
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro
Origin: U.S.A.
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Prelight: Despite a few bumps and a small tear on the cap, this cigar looks very well made; the seams are tight and the cigar has no soft spots or lumps. The oily oscuro wrapper smells sweet and slightly pungent, like flowers and barnyards, while the foot smells deeply of chocolate. The cold draw is a delicious combination of the two, with the added flavor of oak. There is also a bit of meatiness to the taste. The draw itself is right where I like it.
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1/3: The cigar starts off with a bit of a bite to the sinuses as I retrohale some strong pepper tastes, but after a few puffs, a sweetness emerges to balance out the spice. The profile is oaky and earthy and has just the right amount of spiciness. The first third continues to evolve as I begin to notice leather and a floral taste as well. This is a great Dominican and Nicaraguan blend that captures the sweet and savory each region has to offer. The first third settles into leather and oak, with some backing notes of steak seasoning.
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2/3: Chocolate defines itself in the second third, as I believe it was simply attributing to the aforementioned sweetness, but not clear enough to describe in the first third. It does a great job of supporting the leathery, earthy, oaky flavors. I do have to touch up a few times in the second third, as the back side seems to burn slower than the rest. The flavors turn to hay and charred wood as I reach the transition to the final third.
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3/3: Hay. Pure. Simple. Hay. The final third is not exciting and I don’t worry about burning my fingers to nub this one. The burn has been great after self correcting in the final third though.
Overall: As is the case with many cigars, the MSRP doesn’t seem to be warranted. I know that being rolled in the U.S.A. comes with a higher price tag in general, but this cigar should be priced closer to the $6-$8 range. It had some really good flavors in the first and second thirds, but was quite anticlimactic at the end. There were also some slight burn issues. If I were to find a fiver for around $40, I’d smoke it again, but not for $12.50 a pop.
