Back in August, I presented my review of one of the two new ARTISTA cigars – the Harvest. Tody I would like to give my take on its sibling – the ARTISTA Midnight.
The ARTISTA Midnight is the darker of the two releases and has a blend described as:
- Wrapper – Dark Ecuadorian Habano
- Binder – Ecuadorian Connecticut shade
- Filler – Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, and USA
Like its sibling – the Harvest, it is expressed in 2 vitolas, each of which comes packaged in 20-count boxes:
- Box Pressed Robusto (5 x 54) – MSRP $10.20
- Box Pressed Toro (6 x 50) – MSRP $10.40
ARTISTA Cigars are hand crafted at Tabacalera El Artista S.R.L. in Tamboril, Dominican Republic which has been rolling out premium cigars since 1956.
For this review I sampled 2 of the ARTISTA Midnight Robustos, which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The ARTISTA Midnight is wrapped in an oily and heavily marbled dark brown wrapper. It has a few noticeable veins running through the wrapper. The box press is “soft” in the sense that it does not exhibit crisp edges, but it does feel well packed. A simple cap finishes the construction.
A single band adorns the cigar using the company’s new bold, branding. It displays a golden letter “A” on top with a grouping of gold tobacco leaves under it, all using a cream, black, and gold motif.
Running the ARTISTA Midnight along the nose, I quickly noted the naturally sweet tobacco notes along the barrel and foot.
I used my CigarMedics Baller cutter to open the cap perfectly and gave it some cold draw puffs that had a decent restriction and offered enticing sweet peppery spice and cream notes.
Using my single flame torch, I warmed the foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first refreshing puffs of citrus fruit and cream to start the journey. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial puffs offer citrus fruit notes wrapped in a cream sensation
- Quickly an accompanying peppery spice appears on the retrohale
- A white flaky ash forms on top of a thick char line
- Woody notes join in to add dimension
- A delightful fruity aroma wafts off the foot
- Ash drops in a small chunk revealing a flat burn cone
- Cigar went out and required a re-light during the first third
- The early fruits morphs into a tasty berry note midway through with a touch of roasted nut
- Spice notes gently blend in, deep in the second third
- Bitter black coffee notes and earth take it down to the final
- Medium to full in strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 35 minutes
Final Analysis
The initial puffs of the Artista Midnight Habano Maduro reveal a delightful burst of citrus fruit notes enveloped within a luxurious creaminess, creating an enticing start to the flavor profile. Soon after, a peppery spice emerges on the retrohale, providing a lively contrast to the initial smoothness of the smoke. Gradually, woody undertones weave into the flavor profile, adding depth and complexity to the experience. A delightful fruity note wafts off the foot, filling the air with intriguing aromas.
In the midst of the smoking journey, the early fruity notes transform into a delectable berry essence, complemented by a subtle hint of roasted nuts. Deep into the second third, a gentle infusion of spice notes enhances the overall flavor profile, contributing to a rich experience. As the cigar approaches its final stages, it takes on a bittersweet character, reminiscent of black coffee and earthy undertones, guiding the palate towards a satisfying conclusion. This was a pleasantly complex and balanced cigar and although it had some burn issues it is still one I would grab a fiver of. I rate this a 91.
Point Deductions: (-1) Flaky Ash; (-1) Re-light Required; (-1) Wavy Burn; (-1) Flat Burn Cone
Bonus Points: (-1) Pleasantly Complex and balanced across multiple samples
