The Breakdown
This time it’s the Quesada 1974. A cigar treat that boasts wisdom, heritage, and commemoration.
Construction
This baby was packed full of fillers even in this thin lancero vitola. But what made it stand out was just how pronounced the veins were in the wrapper leaf. The only tsk, tsk I have to say about this cigar was the cap.It was kind of hanging off-kilter.
Burn
Oh boy that overpacked cigar came back to haunt me during the burn. It had such a strong resistance on the draw (probably due to overpacking) and took a good three to four puffs to even get decent smoke production on such a thin vitola that should have delivered. Lots of wavy burns on the wrapper—maybe it was the wind—I don’t know. It had such a huge run in the wrapper that I had to really touch it up with my torch lighter so it didn’t look like a spork from KFC. You know what I’m talking about? Not the best burn, but certainly not the worst either.
Flavor
OK I have to admit at this point with the construction and the burn this is like eating a really sloppily made Mexican Pizza from Taco Bell, so dare I jinx myself and thinking that the flavor is equally going to be as challenged? Well, to be honest, it was solid! A mildly complex flavor of bitterness, earthiness, wood-ee-ness? (Is that a word?). It quickly transitions into a more smoother, creamy flavor profile when you take real subtle, light draws about half-way through, but on heavier draws I found myself with the tingling sensation of like licking a 9 volt battery. Maybe I’m crazy! It didn’t offer many changeups throughout the whole cigar, but I definitely found the flavor to be somewhat redeeming.