Alec Bradley Tempus Corona
The Tempus churchill just received a "94" rating in CA so I was very skeptical of this cigar before even obtaining one but that did put it on my radar as something to try. Frankly, I haven't thought too highly of the few AB cigars I've smoked. (Cigar Insider gave this vitola a "90" rating of those of you who might care.)
This is a very nice looking cigar. Dark brown wrapper with only a few small veins. Tight, firm construction. My only complaint is with the gaudy double bands, but I suppose some people like that kind of stuff.
The cap cut without incident. Pre-light draw was easy and had a bit of spice to it. A good amount of peppery spice off the light. Even burn with a salt-and-pepper ash. The spice was tempered only slightly with some earthiness and a touch of sweetness on the finish. For all the spice, it was still very smooth and left a creamy mouthfeel behind after each puff. The spice started to mellow out about 1/3 of the way in and some earthy coffee/cocao flavors took the forefront. The spice was still present and the finish remained sweet and creamy. Some nutty flavors emerged in the final third and mingled with the spice and cocao flavors. Overall, this cigar would fall into the medium-full strength category. I was feeling the nicotine by the time I set this cigar down.
While there is no way that I could see any cigar with this blend obtaining a fair "94" rating, I must say that this is a damn good cigar! I would put it up against the PAM64 and DPG JJ maduro--both cigars that I hold in very high regard. And at $6-10 each, the Alec Bradley Tempus line is a must-try if you like strong, full-flavored cigars.
The Tempus churchill just received a "94" rating in CA so I was very skeptical of this cigar before even obtaining one but that did put it on my radar as something to try. Frankly, I haven't thought too highly of the few AB cigars I've smoked. (Cigar Insider gave this vitola a "90" rating of those of you who might care.)
This is a very nice looking cigar. Dark brown wrapper with only a few small veins. Tight, firm construction. My only complaint is with the gaudy double bands, but I suppose some people like that kind of stuff.
The cap cut without incident. Pre-light draw was easy and had a bit of spice to it. A good amount of peppery spice off the light. Even burn with a salt-and-pepper ash. The spice was tempered only slightly with some earthiness and a touch of sweetness on the finish. For all the spice, it was still very smooth and left a creamy mouthfeel behind after each puff. The spice started to mellow out about 1/3 of the way in and some earthy coffee/cocao flavors took the forefront. The spice was still present and the finish remained sweet and creamy. Some nutty flavors emerged in the final third and mingled with the spice and cocao flavors. Overall, this cigar would fall into the medium-full strength category. I was feeling the nicotine by the time I set this cigar down.
While there is no way that I could see any cigar with this blend obtaining a fair "94" rating, I must say that this is a damn good cigar! I would put it up against the PAM64 and DPG JJ maduro--both cigars that I hold in very high regard. And at $6-10 each, the Alec Bradley Tempus line is a must-try if you like strong, full-flavored cigars.
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