Graycliff Double Espresso
docbp87
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GRAYCLIFF DOUBLE ESPRESSO
4.5x54
This small, fat robusto is a special line extension to the Espresso line, that apparently is a stronger, more ligero based version, that no doubt also plays to lovers of the Nub sized cigar.
It has an earthy smell off the gorgeous, toothy wrapper. The foot has an aroma of spice and pepper, as well as aged tobacco. The pre-light draw has a slight grassy flavor, as well as a musty tobacco taste. It is advertised as a maduro wrapped stick, and I love it. It has a fairly medium brown color, so for this to be a maduro, you know it has nothing added to it, only the pure fermentation process.
Lit at 10:50 on a super hot and muggy night...
Immediately an intense cocoa flavor comes on the draw, with a good pepper blast on the finish, which is pretty darn long. Good start. Effortless light, and a good medium draw.
In the first third, the flavors seem to be mostly sweet tobacco, cocoa, and a little coffee bean, with a lingering pepper in the back of the throat. Great flavors that I expect from a maduro. The ash is also worth noting, as it is a perfect solid white mass, all around. No breaks in it. It is tight as hell. This cigar, if nothing else, is PERFECT construction-wise. The draw is a little on the tight side though.
Burning a little unevenly (one side faster than the other) 30 minutes in, but it seems to want to correct itself, so it's all good.
Around the half way point the draw is still pretty tight, and smoke production isn't great but flavor is what I'm really here for, and that is delivering on all accounts. The cocoa and coffee flavors are lessened and a nuttiness is present on the draw, followed by a dry woody flavor. The finish remains peppery and spicy, and leaves a creamy feel on the lips, and back of the palette. Being a short length cigar, the halfway point as getting dangerously close to what would be considered the very "nub" on most others. It is burning cool temperature wise however, and presents no problems. Ash has fallen once, at about an inch and a half. Burn line, as expected, corrected itself. I have found that a few quick puffs back to back, as opposed to one longer, normal draw allows this cigar to burn better, and keeps the flavor even and balanced.
At around one hour, the cocoa flavor has taken back over entirely, though the stick is starting to get pretty hot, with only about an inch and a half left. Too bad, since the flavor has finally come full circle. Graycliff should make this stick in a longer vitola in my opinion, as the flavors are great, but the size seems limiting to it...
Ended at 12:07 am, for a total burn time of one hour 17 minutes, which is great for a small cigar like this, though I think it would have lasted longer if the draw had been looser, as I wouldn't have had to draw as hard. Either way, Great smoke that I will be revisiting once the rest of these have some time on them to rest and calm down. As I said before, I would love to see this blend in a longer stick, maybe at a 50 ring gauge. Definitely recommended, especially for lovers of good maduro flavors or fans of the Nub cigars.
4.5x54
This small, fat robusto is a special line extension to the Espresso line, that apparently is a stronger, more ligero based version, that no doubt also plays to lovers of the Nub sized cigar.
It has an earthy smell off the gorgeous, toothy wrapper. The foot has an aroma of spice and pepper, as well as aged tobacco. The pre-light draw has a slight grassy flavor, as well as a musty tobacco taste. It is advertised as a maduro wrapped stick, and I love it. It has a fairly medium brown color, so for this to be a maduro, you know it has nothing added to it, only the pure fermentation process.
Lit at 10:50 on a super hot and muggy night...
Immediately an intense cocoa flavor comes on the draw, with a good pepper blast on the finish, which is pretty darn long. Good start. Effortless light, and a good medium draw.
In the first third, the flavors seem to be mostly sweet tobacco, cocoa, and a little coffee bean, with a lingering pepper in the back of the throat. Great flavors that I expect from a maduro. The ash is also worth noting, as it is a perfect solid white mass, all around. No breaks in it. It is tight as hell. This cigar, if nothing else, is PERFECT construction-wise. The draw is a little on the tight side though.
Burning a little unevenly (one side faster than the other) 30 minutes in, but it seems to want to correct itself, so it's all good.
Around the half way point the draw is still pretty tight, and smoke production isn't great but flavor is what I'm really here for, and that is delivering on all accounts. The cocoa and coffee flavors are lessened and a nuttiness is present on the draw, followed by a dry woody flavor. The finish remains peppery and spicy, and leaves a creamy feel on the lips, and back of the palette. Being a short length cigar, the halfway point as getting dangerously close to what would be considered the very "nub" on most others. It is burning cool temperature wise however, and presents no problems. Ash has fallen once, at about an inch and a half. Burn line, as expected, corrected itself. I have found that a few quick puffs back to back, as opposed to one longer, normal draw allows this cigar to burn better, and keeps the flavor even and balanced.
At around one hour, the cocoa flavor has taken back over entirely, though the stick is starting to get pretty hot, with only about an inch and a half left. Too bad, since the flavor has finally come full circle. Graycliff should make this stick in a longer vitola in my opinion, as the flavors are great, but the size seems limiting to it...
Ended at 12:07 am, for a total burn time of one hour 17 minutes, which is great for a small cigar like this, though I think it would have lasted longer if the draw had been looser, as I wouldn't have had to draw as hard. Either way, Great smoke that I will be revisiting once the rest of these have some time on them to rest and calm down. As I said before, I would love to see this blend in a longer stick, maybe at a 50 ring gauge. Definitely recommended, especially for lovers of good maduro flavors or fans of the Nub cigars.
Comments
I really like the Graycliff DE. I always have a few on-hand, and they get even better with some age. Funny, the DE never seemed tight to me even with the v-cut I typically use. Lately, I'm looking for shorter smokes, so for now I'm happy with the DE as the cigar equivalent to a cup of espresso.