Cigar:            Rene Tri-blend Churchill

Size:             48 x 7 1/4"

Country:   

Wrapper:          ECCT,E (light) / ECSU,SG,E(medium) / ECSU,E(dark)

Binder:           NA

Filler:           DR ECCS / DR-Nic Ligero / doble Nic Ligero

Flavor Strength:  Mild-Medium-Full

NicotineStength:  Mild-Medium-Full

Date Received:    2006-01-03

Suspected Age:    NA

Vendor/Price:     Gift from Bill Berris, ASC - Thanks, Bill!

Hype:       When different cigar companies have rolling events in the West, they call one guy to roll the smokes.  He was a top grade roller in Cuba (in the Partagas factory), just a few years ago.  Now he lives in the bay area, but he still rolls his own to sell at these events.  EasyT (Tim) met him at a Torano event and smoked one of his "home rolled" cigars.  Damn tasty.  He gets the tobacco from the Olivas, and only the top grade stuff.   The other night, Rene (the roller) tells EasyT his idea for a "three flavor cigar".  It would start with a mild filler wrapped in a Ecuadorian Conn. Shade.  The middle of the cigar would be a little stronger filler with a medium brown Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper.  The last third would be a dark and oily Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper with a stronger filler.  EasyT asked him to make some up.  We saw them last night.  It is a wonder to behold.  Perfectly rolled, with three shades of wrapper.  Understand, the filler also changes, not just the wrapper.  Tim smoked it last night, and said it was amazing.  ...as mentioned earlier, these cigars are three seperate blends in one cigar which are being custom rolled by a cuban master living locally here in the bay area.  The man has 17 years experience in the cuban partagas factory and I can vouch for this man's blending and rolling skills.  Both torano and puros indios use him for west coast rolling events.  They are 7 x 48.  Here are the three blends: 1st blend - conneticut wrapper with dominican fillers.  It's mild in both body and strength.  2nd blend - sungrown ecuador sumatra wrapper with dominican and nicaraguan ligero fillers.  Medium body and strength.  3rd blend - dark ecuador sumatra wrapper with double nicaraguan ligero fillers.  Full body full strength.

Beverage(s):      Water, Deschutes Black Butte Porter, Lagavulin 16

Smoke time:       2:10

Date:             2006-06-20

Posted to ASC:    2006-06-20

Overall score:    4.5/5

See the cigar and review at:

http://www.primetab.com/cigars/Tri-blend.html

Overall:    This was fun.  Definitely three different blends with short transitions between.  First third was mild starting with green nut and ending with strong sweet cedar.  Second third first ramped up the cedar then settled into a spicy peat.  Last third ramped up in flavor and nic, with spicy cocoa and a blackstrap molasses sweetness.  Pepper entered as the nub was approached.  Smoke volume started low and increased quickly.  Burn was almost perfect throughout.  Ash characteristics changed as the cigar progressed.  Started with a long firm gray ash, next a shorter lighter ash, and finishing very short and flakey.  Finish was long and wonderfully complemented by the islay malt.  Thanks, Bill!

Ambience:   Evening in the sunroom watching the Mariners vs. LA Dodgers (Mariners 9-4).  Nice evening, warm, blue sky.  I approach this cigar with both curiosity and trepidation.  It is a one-of-a-kind cigar.  It's a big one.  It has ligero and the feared double ligero filler.  I have prepped with a big meal.  I shall see how far I get. 

Appearance: Even roll, firm with some give along length.  Slightly flattened roll and a triple Cap.  As mentioned in the hype, this is a tri-blend with light, medium, and dark wrappers.  Please see the link for a photo.  The light wrapper is smooth with fine veins.  The medium wrapper is smooth with medium veins.  The dark wrapper is a bit rougher with small veins. and a bit of tooth.

Cut & Prelight:   Lovely aroma, floral, barnyard, and horsehide.  I hesitate to mention this, but the dark end has the slight scent of mild pussy.  Cut very well yielding a slightly restricted draw, and a hot, dry grass draw flavor.  The draw flavor is discordant with the aroma. 

First third:        Initially, bitter-sweet green nut.  Smoke volume is low. 

Bitterness waning.  Mild "green" flavor and slightly sweet aftertaste.  Pleasant.  Cedar in the after.  Ash on one side is gray and lined, white and unlined on the other.  More cedar and increasing smoke volume.  Even burn.  Ashed itself at 1+" with a very firm ash revealing a steeply coned coal.  So far a nice smoke.  After is quite sweet cedar.  I'd enjoy the first blend as a standalone cigar. 

Second third:     30 minutes after lighting the medium wrapper is engaged.  Good smoke volume now.  Aftertaste suddenly became dry and cedar ramped up.  Some leather and spice has kicked in, lingering into the after as a sweet peatiness - very islay scotch-like.  Now fully into the medium blend.  Dominant note is still cedar, with a leather minor and a hint of spicy peat.  Yumm.  I'd smoke this as a standalone cigar also.  Ashed at i.5" revealing a rather flat coal.  At the hour mark the flavor profile is changing again.  Most of the cedar has vanished.  Spicy peat now dominates.  After is lengthening.  Room note simliar to flavor.  Ashed again at 1". 

Third third:      90 miutes after lighting the dark wrapper is engaged.  No apparent nicotine buzz.  Blast of more spice.  Some dry cocoa.  Heavy blackstrap sweetness in the after.  Definitely has attained full-flavored status.  Nic buzz has arrived, and I'm slowing way down.  Ashed at 1/2".  Ash now flakey.  Switched to the scotch - a perfect accompaniment to the last third.  Some sweet black pepper appears in the short after.  The nicotine is really starting to kick in and rather than spoil a great smoke, it was abandoned at 1".