Mass Premium Cigars is a new Boutique Cigar company that offers cigars that are carefully handcrafted with precision with premium long filler tobacco from Estelí Nicaragua. Each vitola in the company’s portfolio represents its own unique blends and flavor. The company name is derived from the owner – Massimo (Mass) Eramo, who I met at this year’s PCA Trade show in Las Vegas, NV and offered me a sample of his line to try out.
The company has 3 vitolas in the Mass Premium Series No. 2. As mentioned, each vitola is a different blend:
- Big Mass (6 x 60) Gordo Ecuadorian Connecticut
- Mass M.E (5 x 60) Short Gordo Habano
- Mass Maduro (6 x 56) Maduro Box press
Today I would like to offer my take on the Mass Premium Cigars Series No. 2 Maduro which I received from the company to review on Stogie Press.
The blend is described by the company as:
- Wrapper – Mexican San Andres
- Binder – Nicaraguan
- Filler – Nicaraguan
The Mass Premium Cigars Series No. 2 Maduro is expressed in a (6 x 56) Box Pressed vitola and comes packaged in 10-count boxes. The company has not divulged the factory that these are made in. They also note that these are coming to retailers soon. So, look for them. MSRP has not been disclosed.
Pre-Light Examination
The Mass Premium Cigars Series No. 2 Maduro is draped in a dark brown toothy wrapper with a light oily sheen. The packing and roll is good with a decent firmness from head to foot. The pressing is more rounded on the edges as opposed to crisp. A simple cap finishes the construction.
Two bands adorn the cigar. The primary band is white and gold. It displays the company’s logo in the center and also includes the identity “Series No. 2” at the bottom. A secondary, yellow satin band is applied to the foot.
Running the cigar along the nose, I detected barnyard notes along the barrel and natural sweet tobacco aroma off the foot. Actually, the aroma off the foot reminds me of my father’s pipe tobacco humidor when I was growing up.
I gave the cigar a straight cut across the shoulder of the cigar and proceeded to take some cold draw puffs that I found to be decent with restriction and offered a growing peppery note along with a pungent/sour essence.
I used my Xikar fan flame torch to warm the foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first cinnamon and tangy smoke to start the journey. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial light offers tangy notes and cinnamon to start the journey
- Light grey ash forms on top of a medium thick wavy char line
- The draw is fine, and the smoke is pleasantly at full volume
- Savory spice notes begin to evolve in the early profile
- Ash fell in a solid chunk revealing a decent burn cone
- Fruit notes brighten the profile in the second third
- Dark chocolate notes add to the pleasure midway
- The fruit shifts to a sour fruit note
- Bitter notes develop deep in second third evolving into an espresso note
- Early spice evolves into more of a peppery spice in the final
- Medium In Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 45 Minutes
Final Analysis
As the Mass Premium Series No. 2 Maduro Box Press journey begins, the initial light brings forth tangy notes accompanied by a hint of cinnamon, setting a vibrant tone. Soon, savory spice notes begin to emerge, enriching the early profile. Entering the second third, the profile brightens with fruit notes, while midway, the pleasure is enhanced by the addition of dark chocolate undertones. As the experience progresses, the fruit notes shift to a more sour character, and deeper into the second third, bitter notes develop, evolving into a robust espresso flavor. In the final stages, the early spice notes transform into a pronounced peppery spice, bringing the journey to a close. Check out a fiver of these. I rate this a 92.
Point Deductions: (-1) Wavy Burn; (-1) Bitter Notes deep in second third
