Somm Rioja Robusto – Blind Cigar Review

"For as much as I liked about this cigar, unfortunately there was just as much as that I did not. Let's start with the positive. All in all, the smoking experience was trouble free. Not only did this stick burn great, but the draw was near perfect and the smoke was silky smooth from beginning to end. The first third is truly where this smoke shined! Its flavors were immensely enjoyable and most importantly, well balanced... a delicious tango of spicy and sweet! Beyond the first third is where everything took a turn for me. Although the final two thirds of the cigar was not all bad, the obtrusive bitterness that took center stage for much of the second third was simply overpowering and quite literally left a bad taste in my mouth. I like transitions as much as the next guy but what I experienced during the final third was simply absurd. Every single puff brought about something new and the lack of consistency just left my palate confused. While a lot of the flavors were intense and pleasant, they just simply weren't enough to eclipse the ones that were not. Being all over the map, I'm not so sure that even the right pairing would bring out the best in this cigar." -Noah S. (Noah)