This box-pressed torpedo from General Cigar's vintage series wears its 1997 Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper like a well-aged leather jacket - slightly oily with visible tooth. At 6"x54, it demands a 75-minute commitment perfect for slow weekend mornings. The $112 price tag for a dozen sticks positions it as an affordable luxury in the maduro category.
The triple cap shows tight construction with minimal veining. Cold draw serves damp earth and molasses sweetness through a perfect resistance.
Initial puffs explode with baking spices - nutmeg and allspice dominate. Thick smoke carries espresso bitterness balanced by creamy texture. Burn line wavers slightly requiring one touch-up.
Transition brings stewed plum notes with underlying black pepper tingle. Ash holds firm in 1.5" segments. Retrohale reveals toasted cedar through sinus-clearing nicotine kick.
Last inches amp up leather and dark chocolate intensity. Occasional tar buildup needs purging. Satisfying nicotine buzz develops by nub time.
This 1997 vintage blend sources Ometepe volcanic soil Nicaraguan fillers aged in Honduran pine vats. The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper undergoes 18-month fermentation in Piloto Occidental's humidity-controlled bales. Rolled in Santiago's La Zona factory using entubado bunching technique for optimal airflow.
