Cigar:            Consuegra #9 Natural

Size:             50 x 4.5"

Country:          Hon

Wrapper:          Hon, E

Binder:           Hon

Filler:           Hon/Nic/DR

Flavor Strength:  Medium

NicotineStength:  Medium

Date Received:    2004-09-01

Suspected Age:    At least 22 months

Vendor/Price:     Gift from Garry Nold, ASC.  Thanks, Garry!

Hype:       "Age at least a year!"

JRs says: This brand is the Holy Grail for those serious cigar smokers who appreciate a full, rich-tasting cigar and want it at a serious discount. They are the bundled segundos and production overruns made at the famed Villazon factory in Honduras - the makers of Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur, El Rey del Mundo, JR Ultimates, etc. These are wildly popular with our customers - and with good cause.

Beverage(s):      Water, Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Smoke time:       0:25

Date:             2006-06-21

Posted to ASC:    2006-06-21

Overall score:    1.0 / 5.0  (basically, it gets a point for burning well and               producing lots of smoke)

Overall:    Too short for thirds so reviewed in halves, but never got to the second half.  Ghastly.  Truely.  Bitter, and harsh, with a bitter pepper aftertaste.  I pray the almost two years of aging did not improve these smokes.  If you smoke these because you like them - God bless you.  If you smoke these just because they are cheap, there are much better cheap smokes.  Try the Genuine Pre-Embargo Counterfeit Cubans (GPECC), also from JRs.  The Corona Major, the Epicure, and the Gourmet Figurado are $1.45 each in cabs of 50.  Please, spend the extra 50 cents a stick. 

Ambience:   After smoking half of the maduro version of the Consuegra #9 I let my palate rest an hour, ate an apple and fired up a Natrual #9 gifted to me back on 2004-09-17.  Thanks, Garry!  Again I have had this cigar in my possesion for 22 months, so it is verifiably well over the requisite one year old, and as we all know, "Connies suck unless they have a year of age on them". 

Appearance: Mottled, fine veined wrapper with a single cap and very fine tooth.  Rolled much tighter at the head than foot, and hence firm at the head and softer at the foot with a slight trumpet shape. 

Cut & Prelight:   Nice sweet leather aroma.  Cut well yielding an open draw with a sweet hay/alfalfa draw flavor.  

First half: Lit easily.  Initially dry bitterness with lots of pepper in the aftertaste.  Good thick smoke volume.  Just over a half inch in it is almost eye-wateringly bitter.  Somewhat flakey gray ash.  Ashed at 1+".  There is some fleeting flavor under the intense bitterness, but I've yet to identify it.  Horrid, inducing a mild nausea.  Abandoned at 2.5".

Second half:      Never got here.