Cigar:            Alec Bradley Trilogy Native Cameroon

Size:             50 x 5.0", round (despite the name)

Country:          ?

Wrapper:          Cameroon

Binder:           Hon

Filler:           Nic/Italian  (who knew the Italians grew tobacco?)

Flavor Strength:Medium

NicotineStength:Medium

Date Received:    2005-10-18

Suspected Age:    OTT

Vendor/Price:     CigarBid / $2.00

Beverage(s):      Water, 1998 Villa Antinori Chianti Classico

Smoke time:       1:45

Date:             2005-10-20

Posted to ASC:    2005-10-20

Overall score:    4.0/5.0

Overall:    Starts mild and nutty with a sweet, dry aftertaste.  Progresses to aromatic cedar wood and full flavor, still with a sweet, dry aftertaste and finish.  Pepper fades, then returns somewhat near the end.  Medium nicotine buzz.  Very even burn.  (I'm a spitter, and I never used any).  Bittered slightly near the end.  Nice cigar.  Worth having a few around.

Ambience:   In the sunroom after dark working on a powerpoint presentation - ahh ... the joys of middle management pukedom.

Appearance: Smooth, brown, mottled, medium veined wrapper, split about 1" at the foot.  Spiral finished wrapper and short cap.  Firm - might be a little wet.

Cut & Prelight:   Nice cut, good draw.  Mild somewhat floral aroma.  Somewhat musty peppered draw flavor.

First third:      Immediately, sweet peppered nut or toast.  A bit meager smoke volume.  Even burn.  A rather dry, sweet aftertaste.  Toasted nut in the smoke.  Mild.  No more pepper.  Ashed at 3/4". 

Second third:     Smoke volume increased.  Moving from toasted nut to an aromatic wood.  Burn still straight.  Very pleasant smoke so far.  Ashed again at 3/4".  Flavors intensifying.  Now definitely an aromatic wood.  Sweet, dry, cedary aftertaste. 

Third third:      Approaching full flavor status.  Wrapper is splitting back from the burn front as the stick swells.  Aromatic cedar wood.  Still somewhat dry, sweet aftertaste, lengthened greatly.  The wine and cigar are nicely complementing each other - must be the Italian in both.  Smoke volume still increasing.  Great burn.  Getting more woody - just the cigar.  Ashed at 1".  Feeling some nicotine.  Feeling some wine.

Abandoned at about 3/4" when it bittered.