Emilio Cigars Grimalkin

This once a year release is rolled at the Oveja Negra Factory in Esteli. It has a nice smooth dark wrapper. The bunch is firm without being hard. Aromas from the foot are earthy and a bit spicy. The cold draw is perfect. This evening’s beverage is a New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA. The cigar starts out medium to full bodied. There are strong red pepper notes on the palate and in the retrohale. The flavor profile is also earthy with some anise in the mix. The burn is perfect. The first third is delicious. The pepper notes settle down and a bit of cedar joins the flavor profile. The smoke is very smooth and thick. The cigar is now definitely a full bodied smoke. The burn remains perfect. During the second third the cigar went out but relit perfectly. The complexity of flavors is amazing. I also finished the IPA and grabbed a Santa Fe Brewing Java Stout. The IPA was a good pairing but the darker, richer stout is excellent. Approaching the final inch the complexity of flavors remains excellent. This is definitely a full bodied cigar. The construction is solid and the smoke is very smooth.