This year Hiram & Solomon Cigars announced the release of a new limited edition called Patriot Cigar that honors George F. Hamilton, the 91st Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts. A portion of proceeds will support Most Worshipful Grand Master charitable efforts.
The company calls the Patriot Cigar “a symbol of unwavering dedication to values, tradition, and service” and that it embodies the spirit of patriotism and the principles of Freemasonry.
The Patriot by Hiram & Solomon is hand crafted in the Dominican Republic at an undisclosed factory and has a blend described as:
- Wrapper – Ecuadorian Habano Claro
- Binder – Dominican Habano
- Filler – Dominican ligero and seco
The Hiram & Solomon “The Patriot” is expressed in a (6 x 52) toro and had a total run of 10,000 cigars packaged in 1,000 boxes of 10 cigars each. MSRP has been set at $16.00/cigar.
For this review, I sampled two of these cigars that I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Hiram & Solomon “The Patriot” is a beautifully constructed cigar with a toothy medium tan wrapper. It exhibits a light sheen along the barrel. The packing is firm and uniform throughout. Construction is completed with a well applied double cap.
A single large band adorns the cigar that proudly displays the company’s logo on the bottom in gold on a gloss black background along with the name “The Patriot”. On top of the band, it presents the symbology of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.
Running The Patriot along the nose, I picked up rich earthy notes off the foot and bright barnyard notes along the barrel.
Once I sliced the cap straight across the shoulder of the cigar, I gave it some cold draw puffs that I found to have a perfect restriction and offered notes of tangy earth and mild pepper.
Using my dual flame torch, I warmed the foot to an even orange glow as I drew in the first burst of spice and fruit notes to begin the journey. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Spice and fruit notes begin the journey
- Fruity floral aroma wafts off the foot
- Dry leather notes add to the early profile
- The draw is smooth with a decent volume of smoke
- An awesome, stacking dimes white ash forms on top of medium thick and even char line
- Fruit and spice notes continue into the second third
- The ash fell in big solid chunk revealing a well-formed burn cone
- Moving through the second third there is added citrus rind notes that brighten the profile
- Caramel sweetness begins to evolve as the profile is quite mouth watering
- Deep in the second third the sweetness becomes more honey-like
- Entering the final down to the end there is a hint of sweet nut that gently lingers on the palate
- Medium in Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 30 minutes
Final Analysis
The Hiram & Solomon “The Patriot” opened with a mix of spice and fruit notes that set the stage for an enjoyable journey. From the foot, a fruity floral aroma wafted upward, drawing me in before the first third even developed fully. Early on, a touch of dry leather joined the profile, adding depth. The draw was smooth, producing a decent volume of smoke that coated the palate well.
As it burned, an impressive “stacking dimes” white ash formed, sitting firmly atop a medium-thick and even char line. The core fruit and spice notes carried smoothly into the second third, with excellent balance. The ash eventually dropped in a big, solid chunk, exposing a well-formed burn cone underneath.
Moving deeper into the second third, bright citrus rind notes emerged, adding a lively zest to the flavor mix and giving the profile a mouthwatering quality. Soon after, a caramel sweetness began to evolve offering rich pleasure to the journey. As the cigar progressed, that sweetness grew richer, developing into a honey-like tone that coated the palate beautifully.
Down to the final stretch, the cigar concluded with a subtle sweet nut note that lingered softly, leaving a delicate finish. Overall, this was a smooth and evolving smoke with excellent construction and a flavor journey that transitioned gracefully from start to finish.
Point Deductions: NONE
Bonus Points: (+1) Box Buy; (+1) Pleasurable and Consistent across Multiple Samples; (+1) Long Solid Ash
