Cuaba Piramides Edicion Limitada 2008

I told a friend today (that should be a member here and isn't) that I was going to smoke something new tonight.  I had no idea what it would be, but it was going to be something I had never tried.  And the lot fell to the 2008 Cuaba Piramide.  I had been harbouring a curious jones for these sticks for a few years now, but til now had just let them sit in the dark.  Well I had read a ton of comment either way on this cigar, so I was expecting very little.  But at the same time, I was prepared to encounter quite a tasty surprise. 

I snipped the minimum from the end and found a draw very much to my liking.  So far so good.  The cigar lit up with minimum gas and I poured a glass of sweet tea and headed for the porch.  A perfect draw and smoke production managed to hide a less than straight burn.  I read quite alot lately, ironically by cigar makers, that the burn of a cigar is inconsequential as long as someone has a lighter handy.  They even lay on more gravy by saying, "burn seems to be important to 'some people'.  I find that humorous, but not altogether incorrect.  This smoke burned up one side a bit, though never getting out of control and canoeing.

But what, my good man, of the FLAVOR?  Well this is where it gets interesting.  I have had plenty of cigars offer up a medium body with strong notes of molasses and tea.  But this one just hammered away, puff after puff.  I use the word interesting, however, because I waited for the change, I waited for the nuance.  But it really never came.  And yet this is not altogether bad.  The smoke was very smooth, and it was excellent, perhaps only to reveal it's true nature when faced with a dram of Kentucky's Finest.  Near the end, it began to toy with me with some creaminess, raisin and cinammon. 
 
I removed the secondary band and pushed the smoke a bit further.  It was not for the light-hearted, but did not bend toward harshness or tarriness.  However I do not usually investigate the nub of a cigar.  To me it serves only as a filter, and to try and smoke too much of it serves only to ruin the experience in total.  So as I approached the last two inches,  I gave it but tiny puffs as I typed this out. 

All in all this smoke was very good.  It showed no construction flaws, a beautiful oily maduro wrapper and was loaded with flavor.  Again, and I spare no humility when I say this, a better palate than mine could really make something of this cigar.  I do enjoy the molasses and tea character whenever I encounter it.  The cigar also showed a lot of the power and intensity that I associate with potential for quality aging results.  But today I have to score it on it's immediate performance.  I give it 88 points.