Quesada Oktoberfest 2017 Cigar Review – Prost!

Well folks. here we are at the end of October, and it is that time of the year to enjoy the Quesada Oktoberfest annual cigar release. I know, some will say that Oktoberfest starts in September Boston Jimmie, and it has been long over by now, but I roll my way. It still October and I was waiting for a cool crisp day here in Florida to sit back and enjoy this cigar.

Quesada Cigars announced the annual release at this years IPCPR and I have had this one sample in my humidor since coming back from the show in late July. This years offering comes in six vitolas:

• Oktoberfest Bavarian (5.5  x 52) MSRP $9.75
• Oktoberfest Über (6 x 65) MSRP $9.66
• Oktoberfest Das Boot (6 x 52) MSRP $8.61
• Oktoberfest Kaiser Ludwig (6 x 49) MSRP  $9.18
• Oktoberfest Das Brauhaus (4.5  x 60) MSRP $8.13 (Boxes of 24, $195.12)
• Oktoberfest Triple Bock (6 x 56) MSRP $9.50 (Boxes of 24, $228)

This is the seventh year for the Quesada Oktoberfest cigar and this year they decided to not change the blend but instead focus on the packaging – maybe we can blame the FDA for that.

The Bavarian, Über, Das Boot, and  Kaiser Ludwig vitolas are defined as Dominican puros and produced at the  Quesada Cigars factory in the Dominican Republic and are available in 20 -count boxes. The full blend for these are described as:

• Wrapper – Dominican Cibao Valley
• Binder – Dominican Republic
• Filler – Dominican Cuban Seed Criollo & Olor Viso & Ligero

The Das Brauhaus and Triple Bock are Nicaraguan puros and are being produced at Plasencia in Nicaragua. They will be available in 24 – count boxes.  The blend for these is described simply as:

• Wrapper – Nicaraguan
• Binder – Nicaraguan
• Filler – Nicaraguan

For this review I sampled the Quesada Oktoberfest Triple Bock vitola,  which I received from the company at the IPCPR for the purpose of reviewing in Stogie Press.

As I noted earlier, it is a crisp October day here in Central Florida, a perfect early evening for smoking a cigar. I would normally pair this cigar with a fine German bier but I wanted to keep the review as pure as the cigar. I will say after smoking it, it certainly would pair well with a Triple Bock for sure. So let;s get down to the review – Prost!

The Quesada Oktoberfest Triple Bock

Pre-Light Examination

The first thing you will notice about this cigar is the rich dark brown wrapper that has a light tooth on it and a few noticeable seams and practically no veins. It is finished with a simple cap. The cigar is solid in the hand with a few bumps along the barrel.

Although the blend is the same as last year, the band is new and I feel it looks better especially on the dark wrapper background. It is white with a gold border. There is a shield in the middle that has the colors of the German flag, although they are in a different order, centered in it along with the Quesada logo. On the side of the band it notes “Since 2010” signifying the seven consecutive years they have been making the Okctoberfest.

There is not much aroma along the barrel but the foot exuded notes of cocoa and sweetness.  Once cut, the cold draw was fairly open with notes of earth and sprinkle of pepper.

Well let’s bring October to close, as I walk you through the Quesada Oktoberfest Triple Bock 

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Cigar Review Notes

• First light offers fruit and pepper with decent burn on the nasals
• Full volume of smoke right off the light
• Spice and cedar join the profile, keeping it interesting
• Medium to dark grey ash with a thin char line
• Malt enters after an inch
• Coffee notes complete the early profile
• So far this is a delectable smoke
• Earth shifts back in
• Flavors are all blending well after first third
• Coffee notes grow into the second third
• Smoke is thick and creamy and easy on the palate
• Fruity aroma develops
• Ash fell at the half-way point exposing a well centered and flat burn cone
• Cedar and sweetness pick up  in the second half
• The final brings a peppery spice with a continued back note of malt
• Medium Strength
• Total Smoking Time was one hour and twenty minutes

Overall, the 2017 Quesada Oktoberfest Triple Bock was a delicious cigar that had excellent burn qualities – well constructed and carried a long ash. I did not smoke last years introduction of this so I can not compare it but I can say this is one you should try. I also have not experienced the Dominican variety but will look for it. As far as pairing, this would absolutely pair well with full body German bier, like a triple bock, to bring out the malty flavors that ran through it.

As a side note, some of you may not know that the first Bier festival in Germany is in March and known as the Starkbierzeit (Strong Bier Season). Because it is still too cold to enjoy a stein outdoors in the biergarten, the beers of choice are bocks – Bockbier and Doppelbock. These are strong, malty and warming. A little extra fact for you  – During the Christian Lent season, fasting monks were only allowed liquids, so bier being a liquid, the monks developed a dark beer style called ‘Salvator’ that was ‘double’ strong (doppel). Oh those Germans, they always figure a way to enjoy their Bier!