Smoked: La Aurora Barrel Aged by Karl Malone

Smoked at: West Chester, Ohio

La Aurora Barrel Aged by Karl Malone is made with Nicaraguan, Dominican and Peruvian filler, an Ecuadoran binder and a toothy Ecuadoran wrapper sporting plenty of veins, but invisible seams. You gotta like the basketball orange band.

Cedar and oak, earth, pepper, aged tobacco/ honey sweetness, cereal toastiness and a touch of cream, dark roast coffee and milk chocolate in the background. I swear I taste something akin to whiskey on a few puffs. I have to assume it’s the pairing, but I’m not sure it isn’t part of the cigar’s flavors. After all, it is barrel aged in former rum barrels. The profile is wood and spice dominant. This is a full-strength cigar that gets stronger as you wind down through the final third. Water, Where Art Thou?

Tight draw that needed the Perfect Draw and a couple of toothpick pokes along the way. Otherwise, good construction – reasonable smoke output, even burn line.

I had to try this cigar. I did see Karl Malone play a game in Salt Lake City in 1986 on a business trip when I stayed at the hotel across the street from the Salt Palace arena. I probably should have paired it with John Stockton Bourbon as an assist to get the most points for the cigar.