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Black Works Studio's Rorschach Robusto

Aficionado Knowledge:

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Company: Black Label Trading Company
Production: Limited
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
MSRP: $4.99-6.99
A prior caveat:
     The Rorschach was recommended to me by a friend at my local cigar shop. I usually do not smoke Habanos but at his recommendation I figured it would be worth it. After smoking this cigar twice in the short robusto (4 1/2 x 48) and once in the petite pantela size (5 x 38), I have to say, I really enjoyed this cigar despite it not being in my usual repertoire. This cigar is is in limited production and is not available in all the most common gauges, do not let that stop you. This cigar is a great smoke, and phenomenal for the price, even if you need to purchase this cigar in a form you usually do not purchase.

Real time review:
    This cigar is chocolaty brown in color with a mottled appearance and has dark but tight veins. The patchwork appearance of the veins seems to bleed through the thin wrapper and gives the cigar credence to its namesake even outside of its signature wrapper. The unlit foot smells sweetly of vanilla and faintly of hay. Toasting this cigar is quick and easy and leads to a quick and readily formed ember when drawing begins. The initial draw is bitter and lightly sweet with notes of coffee balanced with fresh hay. The cigar feels medium to medium full in body with a full and robust flavor. As the smoke resides in the mouth it clearly and distinctly goes through an evolution from bittersweet coffee and hay to a deeper vegetal bitterness with a bite of dark chocolate, and then eventually rounds out, and comes back full circle with a lasting aftertaste of hay. This cigar is balanced with a complex evolution that keeps the smoker engaged closely with his senses. The smoke is not light but not thick on the palate.  It feels slightly oily and tends to evenly coat the olfactory system. As the cigar burns down the 2nd third looses some of the bitterness in favor of a stronger coffee and hay note which eventually ends again in toast. This evolution is complemented by a new and subtle earthiness with an aftertaste of rocksalt that keeps the palate awake. The retrohale is dark with a strong peppercorn bite followed closely by a nice bite of toast that turns once again into a hay aftertaste. The ashstack develops nicely, though not perfectly even and allows the cigar to maintain its heat well. In the final third the vegetal hay note takes precedence and the toast note combines with the rocksalt and earthiness to give the cigar a strange savory flavor. 
Closing thoughts:
     This is a great smoke. Well balanced with a constant evolution that keeps giving. I find that this smoke pairs exceptionally well with a sweet liquor like the Devil's River Agave Bourbon. If you want to have a smoke that takes forethought and draws your attention in. This is a great choice.
92/100





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