Smoked: Aksum Claro

Smoked at: Fairfield, Ohio

Aksum Claro is a Foundation cigar I have been looking forward to smoking for some time. Foundation owns a tobacco field in Connecticut so naturally there is some Connecticut Broadleaf in the binder along with Nicaraguan filler and an Ecuador Sumatra Claro wrapper.

The theme for the name and band is similar to that of Foundation’s Tabernacle, which includes a rendering of Ethiopia’s last Emperor Hailie Selassie – the King of Ethiopia/Abyssinia in 1936 knocked out of power by Benito Mussolini. The Tabernacle cigar band depictions are supposed to relate to Biblical themes. Selassie was hailed at the time as a descendant of King Solomon. The Ark of the Covenant was kept at the Tabernacle in Solomon’s Temple. Aksum or the Aksumite Kingdom is supposedly to where the Art was moved and rests to this day. This cigar band features an image of Ethiopian leader Ras Makonnen. Someday I’m sure these two Foundation cigar brands will be an archeological find in a future Indiana Jones movie.

It’s box-pressed with a Claro wrapper with some oil – rough looking but smooth to the touch with a few visible veins and seams It’s a bit toothy and packed firm. A cap with a pigtail is always disconcerting. I’ll use the V-cutter, thank you.

Spice, including pepper and cinnamon, walnuts/hazelnuts, doughy bread/toast, coffee and cocoa. There are background notes of earth, leather and hay – a mossy after rain forest floor vegetal aroma, malt and crackers with caraway and/or sesame seeds – a new note on the palate I had not before experienced. One puff reminded me of coconut, another of vanilla. Interesting.

This cigar has some seriously strong leather taste/aroma. Is this the “rich Corinthian leather” to which Ricardo Mantalban referred in his Chrysler Cordoba commercials? Leather, wood and earth dominate the flavors, but never overwhelm the secondary and tertiary flavors. Every note gets its play like the chord progression of jazz improvisation. You get the leather and cracker aroma along with pepper and cocoa on the retrohale. Medium-full strength and medium-full bodied.

Aksum Claro is a very well-constructed cigar from the initial combustion – perfect draw, generous smoke output, tight white, grey ash that defies 38 Special’s lyrics, and an even burn line.

Although light on the transitions, Aksum Claro is well balanced. It’s bold, rich, and complex like the Tabernacle and Olmec - a unique, well-crafted artisanal creation. This is a terrific smoking experience. 5s across the board.