Cigar:            Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Petite Belicoso

Size:             52 x 5.5"

Country:          Hon

Wrapper:          Costa Rica, Maduro

Binder:           DR

Filler:           CR/Hon/Nic

Flavor Strength:  Medium

NicotineStength:  Mild

Date Received:    2004-09-01, ASC, NSF endowment

Suspected Age:    Unknown

Vendor/Price:     $5+, currently on sale at CI for $60/box

Beverage(s):      Water, Dead Guy Ale

Smoke time:       90 minutes

Date:             2005-01-25

Posted to ASC:    2005-01-25

Overall score:    4.3/5.0

Overall:    Pretty stick, very well constructed, gorgeous wrapper, box pressed, attractive band.  Good smoke volume.  Burn required much attention.  Leather and cocoa, then more leather and cocoa, then MORE leather and cocoa.  Smoke and finish dry, not sweet.  A really great cigar if you like a lot of dry leather and cocoa.  This is not sarcasm.  I think this is a truely great cigar that I didn't quite care for.  I found it intriquing, would smoke another, but would not buy a box. 

Ambience:   Seattle Daniel's - easy chair by the fire, sending email and planning 2005.

Construction:     Very nice looking cigar.  Smooth, dark wrapper with an oily sheen, no veining, firm.  Rather severe rectangular box press.  Sweet cocoa and leather aroma.

Cut & Prelight:   Very nice solid cut, as do most belicosos.  Chocolate and dirt flavor in the draw - not "earthy", but literally tasted like dirt or dust.  Some tingling spice on the lips.  No pepper. 

First third:      Immediately cocoa and leather with a dry finish.  Bit of green nuttiness a few draws in then it vanished.  Good smoke volume.  Not sweet.  Box press affected the burn along one narrow side.  Poked the sucker and pierced a knot.  Burn was a problem, though with fire and water it never got away. 

Second third:     Dry and leathery.  Tight, compact, tenacious ash.  Draw loosened too much.  Very slightly sweet in the finish for a while, then not.  Still big time cocoa and leather. 

Third third:      More, and more of the same.  Still relatively dry.  Sweetness is gone.  Lots of leather and cocoa in the smoke and finish.  Almost too much cocoa.  A bit of transitory bitter chocolate in the smoke flavor.  The cocoa became just too much to handle at about 1" long and it was abandoned.  Slight nicotine buzz.