Cigar:            CAO Black Mosaic Corona

Size:             42 x 6"

Country:          Nic

Wrapper:          ECCT, N

Binder:           Nic

Filler:           Nic/Hom/Mex

Flavor Strength:  Medium

NicotineStength:  Medium

Date Received:    2004-09-01

Suspected Age:    unknown

Vendor/Price:     ASC NSF - Perhaps from Joe's private collection.  Thanks!

Beverage(s):      Water, Mirror Pond Pale Ale

Smoke time:       60 minutes

Date:             2005-02-19

Posted to ASC:    2005-02-20

Overall score:    3.5/5.0

Overall:    Good cigar.  Required patience to wait for the flavor to arrive.  Generally first third was mild, second medium, and third fullish.  Cedar wood and leather with a sweetish finish that had some cocoa.  Good smoke volume.  Burn was a little goofy - see below.

Ambience:   Beautiful winter day in the GPNW, sunny, light breeze,

cloudless blue sky.  Damn cold.  Wrapped in an artic parka, sitting on a

canvas folding chair in the backyard. 

Construction:     Nicely presented wrapped in a cedar sleeve that the band

holds in place, and a satin ribbon around the foot.  Milk chocolate colored

wrapper with a slight box press and some sort of longitudinal substructure

apparent under the srapper.  Double cap.  Very firm.  Definite barnyard

aroma.

Cut & Prelight:   Good cut and good draw with pleasing resistance.  No lip

tingle.  Very mild draw flavor.

First third:      Immediately tried to "thread" in two places (burn in a very thin (1/16") run) along the aforementioned substructure.  Spit stopped it.  This was a recurrent issue.  Otherwise burn was good.  Initially nutty, then nothing.  Almost no flavor.  Very, very slightly sweet.  Good smoke volume.  A bit of pepper crept in, and a longer finish.  As I get over an inch into the cigar an aromatic cedar wood and leather flavor arrived. 

Second third:     Finish has lengthened and sweetened.  The flavor has

definitely arrived.  Near the halfway point chocolate enters the now long finish.

Third third:      Continues cedary and leathery with a long finish.  Sweetness

in the finish comes and goes.