Arandoza “BLUE” Label
With this review I complete the Arandoza Red, White, and Blue Labels.
I was relaxing on the balcony of my hotel after a busy day of travel to Troy, Michigan after stopping in to see the gang at Don Yeyo Cigars in Dearborn for a break, a little pizza, and to catch up on what’s new since I left back in May. I gave them an update of our trip to IPCPR Las Vegas. The guys especially liked the articles on the Beautiful Ladies of IPCPR and what should not be at IPCPR. I decided that tonight I would smoke the Arandoza Blue.
Examining the Nicaraguan Puro 5 x 52 Arandoza Blue Label I notice the smooth brown wrapper. Running the barrel across my nose I pick up a nice leather scent and after clipping the head there is a bit of a nutty flavor on the dry draw. I roll it about and savor that pre-light taste.
Firing it up, there is an instant hit of pepper on the front with some leather notes. After an initial burst of pepper and perhaps some burned oak, the “Blue” quickly settled into a pleasant mix of light spice and a touch of fruit. I love how the flavors danced on my palate.
It is a cool calm July night here in Troy. A refreshing change from the heat of Vegas and the gar cave in Florida.
The ash is that of light grey, like the evening clouds above as they move slowly revealing the starry sky. The wrapper has a nice shine under the balcony light. The early spice has slowly mellowed and nutty flavors enter behind the fruit. The draw is perfect and the burn is pin point with a slightly toothy ash.
The silence of the night is calming with a faint sound of crickets in the grass.
The retro-hale has a soft burn with a thick and tasty smoke yet still very clean on the palate. As it approaches the 2nd third, the spice is all but gone and light fruit and sweet tobacco flavors enter the mix.
The ash is still holding on as it approaches the wrapper line and I gently remove the wrapper so as not to knock this perfect ash so i can see how long it will go. I am getting some nutty notes maybe oak again as the fruit died down. There is absolutely no bitterness to this pleasurable smoke.
I decide to cue up some blues on the iPad to add to calm of the night and this fine stick. The clouds have left leaving only the starry sky and the wave of smoke from my cigar to fill the crisp night air.
As the ash cools there is not a sliver of bending in it. It is a solid tight ash, and you all know I love a tight ash. Nearing the end of 2nd third there is a hint of fruit again and the wrapper is beautifully oily. I did notice a slight squish as I got into the final 3rd, but that is ok, as the ash is still holding and the flavor continues to dance about my palate.
The finish of the Arandoza Blue was delightful with notes of nuts and fruit.
Arandoza BLUE
This was a delicious smoke and I will be having another soon. I would say this is a full body, full flavor cigar, that was closer to full strength than medium. I may just have to buy a box and let some age even more.
~Boston Jimmie
The balcony review was poetic and delightfully informative. It reminded me of the language in West with the Night. Cheers.
Today, I went to the beach front with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year
old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She
put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a
hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back!
LoL I know this is completely off topic but I had to tell someone!