Smoked: K by Karen Berger Habano

Smoked at: Fairfield, Ohio

K by Karen Berger Habano Toro is a box-pressed Nicaraguan puro with a smooth Habano wrapper. The primary band declared the brand logo. The secondary band simply states it’s Habano.

Nicaraguan bold Habano spice (cinnamon?), pepper, cedar, mixed nuts, cream, and fruit for openers. Coffee notes, floral, herbal tea jump a few minutes into the first third, then fade to the background by the second third. More spice nd leather join the chorus during the second third as well. The coffee notes return in full force during the final third, but more dark roast/espresso giving the cigar a bitter finish. The retrohale is all wood and pepper, but it’s rather mild. This is a medium bodied, medium strength cigar in my book.

The draw was a touch too tight, but acceptable – no Perfect Draw or toothpick pokes required. Just let the cigar do its thing, light grey ash that stayed firmly on until rolled off, fairly even burn line and a generous thick smoke output. The cigar became mushy approaching the nub – the cap capsized. Not really, but it went off kilter. It happens sometimes when you smoke it to the nub.

Karen Berger Habano is a better than average cigar. It’s spicy. Fine for my palate. Better if the pepper was dialed back a hair allowing the other spices some room to blossom. Enough flavors to keep me interested, but somewhat linear. The harsh finale didn’t help the score.