Inspired by the greatness of American heroes, Emperors Cut Cigars introduced the newest line in their growing portfolio – the Red Tail Series late in 2022 and plans to have them shipped to retailers this coming February 2023. Until then you can order these direct from the company’s website. The company notes there are two blends in the Red Tail Collection – The Warhawk and the 332nd. Both blends are designed to embody the bold and courageous men whose contributions were critical in the theater of WWII; the Tuskegee Airmen.
For this review I will be talking about the Emperors Cut Red Tail 332nd Torpedo, one of two sizes in the blend which is described as:
- Wrapper – San Andres
- Binder – Ecuadorian Sumatra
- Filler – Jalapa (Ligero, Viso, and Seco), Columbian Cubita
The Emperors Cut Red Tail 332nd is expressed in two vitolas, each packaged in 10-count boxes.
- Toro (6.5 x 52) – MSRP $13.00
- Torpedo (6.5 x 52) -MSRP $13.00
Emperor’s Cut Cigars noted that the new line is a limited release. The cigars were blended by Manuel Inoa and hand crated and rolled at the La Aurora factory in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
For this review, I sampled 3 of the Emperors Cut Red Tail 332nd Torpedos that I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Emperors Cut Red Tail 332nd torpedo is a well-constructed torpedo that sports a medium to dark brown moderately toothy wrapper. There is a mild sheen along the barrel and the cigar feels solidly packed and is expertly rolled with tight seams and a well finished torpedo cap. There are some noticeable veins that run through the barrel.
A single die cut band adorns the cigar that uses a primarily black, white, and gold motif. The company’s logo is proudly displayed in the center along with the name “Red Tail” printed below it. The sides of the band include a red sword-like image with the right side stating “WE FIGHT” which was the Tuskegee Airmen’s Motto.
Running the Red Tail across the nose, I picked up a pungent barn yard aroma along the barrel and the foot with an additional natural sweetness on the foot.
I used my CigarMedics Baller cutter to perfectly open the cap and proceeded to give it some cold draw puffs that I found to be spot on with restriction and offering notes of tangy earth, mild pepper and cream.
I warmed to foot to an even orange glow using my single flame torch and drew in the first puffs of cream and pepper notes. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- The first puffs bring in the pre-light cream and pepper notes to start the journey
- A solid white ash forms on a thin and slightly jagged char line
- Terrific fruit notes join the mix offering a decent balance to the early profile
- The ash fell in a small chunk revealing a flat but centered burn cone
- Chocolate nuances add to the pleasure
- A pleasant nuttiness grows in the second third
- Rich earthiness and sweetness enter midway through
- Mild bitter notes appear in the final
- Medium in Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 30 minutes
Final Analysis
The Emperors Cut Red Tail 332nd had a fairly pleasant profile through its 90 minutes of burn, offering a smooth medium strength experience. Right off the first puffs there was a well-balanced array of cream, pepper and fruit that immediately enticed the palate. The smoke was full and thick throughout the journey. It did develop a mild bitter note in the final and the ash did drop more often than I would like. This is worth picking up a fiver and trying them out. I rate this a 90.
Point Deductions: (-1) Ash Fell Often; (-1) Flat but Centered Burn Cone; (-1) Bitter Notes in the Final; (-1) Mild Jag in the Burn
Red Tail 332nd is a definite representation of the historic and iconic T-Airmen.