Cigar:            Don Lino Africa Punda Milia Lonsdale

Size:             44 x 6 3/8"

Country:          DR

Wrapper:          Nic, E (1999)

Binder:           Africa/Mexico/Hon/Nic/DR (some combination thereof)

Filler:           Africa/Mexico/Hon/Nic/DR (some combination thereof)

Flavor Strength:  Medium

NicotineStength:  Medium

Date Received:    2005-12-16

Suspected Age:    See hype

Vendor/Price:     Mr. Bundles / $5.52 (5-pack incl. shipping)

Beverage(s):      Water, Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Smoke time:       1:50

Date:             2005-12-18

Posted to ASC:    2005-12-18

Overall score:    3.5/5.0

Overall:    A fair medium bodied cigar - 3.5/5.0.  Not much for the first third, then the flavor starts to arrive, first leather and coffee, then more cedary, some cocoa, then a bit of everything.  Aftertaste is sweet and cedary, somewhat caramel.  Turned charred at the end.  Seems to me you have to wade through too much of this stick to get to the good stuff.  Good slow burn, good smoke volume, but did not hold an ash well - won't go an inch so watch your lap.  Not a box for me.  Will see how they are after some humidor time. 

Hype:       After two years of painstaking work Don Lino brings forth a new exotic edition to his line of great cigars. Much like the exotic continent it represents, mysterious and not for the faint of heart, this cigar exudes flavor and body. Made with four year old aged tobacco and laid to rest for five months the harmonization of these unique tobaccos results in truly a cigar of distinction. 

            The Don Lino Africa blend gets its name from the rare African filler used by blenders from the famous Miami cigar company to bring out its unique rich aroma. This tobacco is further complimented by tobaccos from Honduras, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico bring many aromas to the palat. Finished with a habano wrapper that was set aside in 1999 with this cigar in mind

Ambience:   Late afternoon watching the sun go down from the sunroom and paying bills.  Got in a bit over an hour of flight time, but cut it short due to direct 15 kt gusty chinook crosswinds coming out of the Cascades.  At pattern altitude winds were pushing 25 kts.  My little plane was bucking like a pony during descent in all that swirling wind shear.  Tried slip descents as well as rudder kick and neither yielded pretty results.  Called it day before I bent something.

Appearance: Big, bold, attractive band on an attractive cigar.  Very dark, shiny, somewhat mottled wrapper with small veining and a long double cap.  Very firm.

Cut & Prelight:   Sweet shit aroma with some coffee.  Cut well yielding a rather tight draw.  Will reserve the right to recut if necessary.  Mild, sweet dry flavor with little lip tingle. 

First third:      Dry and peppery to start.  About an inch in not much else, but pepper with a dry aftertaste.  About 1.5" in some other flavors are developing - a bit of coffee and some leather.  Dropped at about 1" of ash.  A hint of sweetness is creeping into the aftertaste.  Now more wood than leather.  Draw opened, smoke volume good, and burn okay.  Turning into a cedary stick.  Some harshness at the back of the throat. 

Second third:     Aromatic cedar with a hint of coffee.  Dry, slightly sweet aftertaste.  Ooh, cocoa.  Doesn't hold an ash well.  Aftertaste is now very nice - caramel sweet cedar.  Nice room note. 

Third third:      Cedar, leather, and a hint of cocoa.  Still a dry sweet aftertaste.  Nicotine apparent.  Hit of charred ash at 1.5" - abandoned.  Nice long sweet cedar finish.