Smoked: Padron Damaso No. 12

Smoked at: West Chester, Ohio

Padron Damaso No. 12 Robusto is made with Nicaraguan filler and binder and covered in a darker tan than most Ecuador Connecticut seed wrapper.

Cream is the dominant flavor followed by cedar, mild pepper, mild spice, hazelnuts and hints of graham crackers, fresh cut grass/hay, earth and citrus. I rarely taste citrus in cigars and it’s a nice touch to the balancing act with the cream, cedar and spice. During the final third, the hazelnuts transition to more of an almond. One thing remains in the forefront – cream. The Damaso is a creamy Connecticut with a bit more zing and zest to it than the average Connecticut. The retrohale is heavy on the wood plus hay, leather and pepper.

The draw was perfect – just the right amount of resistance, The smoke output was more than adequate, and the burn line was dead even, The only construction flaw was the ash – never held more than a quarter inch, flaky and fell off,

If there’s one word to describe the Padron Damaso No. 12, it’s creamy. It’s the overriding flavor note throughtout the smoke. But the Damaso is more than a typical creamy Connecticut. It’s medium-mild to medium bodied, medium strength, but it packs some punch with the other flavors intertwined. Pair it with a cup of Arabica or Costa Rican – excellent morning coffee smoke.