Cigar:            Fonseca Serie F Robusto

Size:             52 x 5"

Country:          DR

Wrapper:          CT, N

Binder:           DR

Filler:           DR

Flavor Strength:  Full

NicotineStength:  Full

Date Received:    2005-04-17

Suspected Age:    Young

Vendor/Price:     $2.60 CigarBid 5-pack

Beverage(s):      Water, Mirror Pond Pale Ale

Smoke time:       1:15

Date:             2005-04-22

Posted to ASC:    2005-04-22

Overall score:    3.5/5.0

Overall:    Full flavor and full strength.  Starts with a blast of pepper and over the smoke traded the pepper for leather.  Long finish was dry throughout and became very slightly sweet.  The wrapper was extremely fragile and disintegrated over the smoke.  Try another in a couple of months. 

Ambience:   On the deck, sunshine, warm, Mariner's game on the radio. Light variable winds.

Construction:     Light colored wrapper with fine veining, consistent firmness, and triple cap.  Wrapper is cracked at about the halfway point.  Sweet, earthy aroma.  Fragile wrapper.

Cut & Prelight:   First cut yielded a very tight draw.  Second cut improved the draw, but cracked the wrapper above the band.  Lots of lip tingle and sweet pepper in the draw flavor. 

First third:      Hard to light - may be wet.  Huge blast of pepper in the first puffs - pepper, pepper everywhere.  Tight draw.  Shortly the blast of pepper abated, though never vanished, became earthy with a long, dry finish.  God damned band was glued to the wrapper and pulled off a big hunk.  Getting leathery and the finish is slightly sweetening.  The thing needs double drags to stay lit.  As the stick warms and swells slightly the wrapper cracks are beginning to spread.  Moments later the wrapper splits along the middle third and begins to unravel and disintegrate.  I am stuck having to hold the thing to keep it together.  Shoddy.

Second third:     First noticable nicotine buzz.  Still somewhat peppery, but leather predominates with slightly sweet and dry finish.  Draw opened.

Third third:      Leather and a dry finish.  Stick is a mess.  The wrapper is cracked along its length and the stick is looking mighty frayed.  Some harshness at the back of the throat and increasing.  Abandoned it at 2" as it became tiresome to try and hold it all together.