Sunday, March 10, 2013

Casa Magna Colorado belicoso (6x54)

I have heard many good things about the Casa Magna Colorado but had not smoked one until this review. This was the latest cigar sample that the fine folks at StogieBoys sent for review. The Casa Magna Colorado was Cigar Aficionado's top cigar in 2008, and for good reason. The blend is a collaboration between Manuel Quesada and Nestor Plasencia which pretty much guarantees a tasty cigar. I received these before my sinus infection so they have been resting in the humidor for about a month. Now, let's see if this is indeed a top cigar.

The oily Colorado Rosado wrapper has a nice reddish hue, only very small veins, perfect seams and a light toothiness. Underneath the wrapper lies a Nicaraguan binder and a blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran long-fillers. The body is very firm with almost no give and no soft spots or imperfections that I could find. The wrapper didn't have much of a scent other than a light scent of barnyard. The foot offered notes of barnyard with a hint of molasses sweetness. I went with a V cut on this one and found a perfect draw with notes of cocoa and molasses. I used my handy Xikar executive single flame torch to toast the foot and get a good even light with no problems.

Right out of the gate there was a ton of flavor from the Colorado. There is a light ground coffee note and earthiness that first spring to my attention. The finish is long and toasty with a mild natural sweetness. There is only a small amount of spice noted on the retrohale despite the bold and hearty flavors. The coffee notes gain momentum and depth as I make my way through the first third and are especially notable on the retrohale. There were a few toasted nut notes that popped in and out in the initial third.

As I start into the second third, the coffee notes begin to ease toward the background as an woody oak note emerges. The earthy notes are still present but still in the background. The toasted nut notes gain depth and develop nicely as I progress through the second third.

The final third saw the addition of some dark chocolate notes as the toasted nut and oak notes begin to make their way to the background. The coffee notes try to make a comeback but never quite get back to the foreground. The body is still medium-full and there hasn't been a harsh flavor at all.

After the ash settles I can see why Cigar Aficionado rated this so highly. It's not overly complex but complex enough to keep your attention. Construction was excellent on both samples I smoked for the review, neither needed a relight or even a touch up. The body remained medium-full and flavors we full throughout to the burn. The smoke was very smooth even with the flavors being so bold and hearty. The Colorado produced a beautiful, tight white ash that held for about an inch and a half each time. The resting smoke had a very pleasant toasty aroma and even a mild sweetness. Price point on these is 6.25-6.75 per stick at StogieBoys, depending on the size you prefer. At less than 7 bucks per stick, singles price, this is a great everyday stick that won't break the bank. Thanks to Sheryl and the StogieBoys.com crew for providing the samples for this review. This is a great, flavorful stick that I would say is box worthy for sure. You can find the Casa Magna Colorado as well as other Casa Magna blends HERE at StogieBoys.com