Size: 4.5″ x 52.5 was measured (supposed to be 4.5″ x 54, Gordo)
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Nicaraguan ligero

So I decided to have an after lunch smoke today – a treat for me since I’m normally at work and can’t smoke at/after lunch, but since I’m working from home today, it’s possible. I opened up my largest humi and started looking for something shorter, so this doesn’t take too long, and this Intenso was the first thing I came upon. I’ve been wanting to give this thing a try ever since I picked up a Cu-Avana Intenso 100 ct. humi and I have a few in the humi, so it worked out just great. So, as I enjoy the sunshine and high 50’s, here we go…

Appearance:
This is a good looking short little stick. The wrapper is a medium brown with a few medium veins. If you look closely you can see where the wrapper was rolled, but it doesn’t jump out at you. The ring is elegant and located at the foot of the cigar. It just looks like a little powerhouse.

Construction:
This cigar is quite heavy in hand given it’s size. You can feel that it’s a dense stick that is tightly rolled. The density appears to be consistent throughout and the ring removes with ease. There are no issues with the wrapper.

Aroma:
The aroma is full flavored, but not overly strong. It’s pleasant with a leathery spiciness and a hint of dried fruits. This should be pleasing to most, but isn’t something exotic smelling – more typical in aroma.

Burn/Ash:
Burn has been a little wavy, but it isn’t a major issue during the first half. It seems to keep correcting itself, but it’s definitely not razor sharp. The first ash fell at a whopping 2″ – almost half the stick. After that the burn became a little more erratic and kept straying. It required a touch up 2/3 of the way through. Then in the last third it required constant attention to stay lit. Definitely frustrating. The second ash fell at 1″ and then I tossed it before the final ash b/c it was starting to burn my lips.

Draw/Smoke:
Draw is a bit tight, leaning more towards tight than medium. This is definitely tighter than I prefer, but at least it’s still manageable. It’s definitely rolled tight. Smoke is a little under average (thanks to the rather tight draw and tight roll). This might be what some prefer, but with me it loses a few points here. The smoke increased as we headed towards the half way point, but then when I was experiencing the issues keeping it lit, it was seriously reduced.

Flavor:
This is more of a smack you in the face full-bodied smoke. It doesn’t have the sweetness of a Diesel and while I guess it’s smooth, it’s quite peppery and spicy with a bold earthiness and hints of dark, bitter coffee. This is not a morning smoke and not for the occasional cigar smoker. The aftertaste is earthy, leathery spiciness. After about the first third it’s actually mellowed a bit. More earthy cocoa coffeeness and less spice and pepper. Maybe some walnuts in the aftertaste? Almost half way into the stick I’m picking up a definite sweetness – a surprise… I’m not sure where it’s coming from, but I like it. There is some pepper and spice and less earthiness at the moment. It’s almost like a completely different cigar at this point. Into the final third the flavors are more earthy and leathery again with hints of cocoa and black coffee. Just a hint of spice. The aftertaste is earthy and leathery. Towards the last inch the flavors became more filled with cocoa and spice. Overall a nice progression and mix.

Overall/Value:
For retail price for a full-bodied stick, this stick can more or less hold it’s own. Considering it can be picked up for $3 or less, it’s a definite addition to the full-bodied rotation in the humidor. The flavors are a nice complex mix and they develop nicely throughout the stick, especially for such a short smoke. A definite solid full bodied smoke. However, the burn issues towards the end became frustrating and the draw being so tight was also disappointing, causing this stick to lose points overall.

Retail Price: $5.00

Appearance: (4.5/5)
Construction: (4.5/5)
Aroma: (8/10)
Burn/Ash: (6.5/10)
Draw/Smoke: (14/20)
Flavor: (33.5/35)
Overall/Value: (11.5/15)
Final Score: (82.5/100)