Man O War Ruination Robusto No.1 (5.5x54)

The birthday party for my son was a huge success. We had it at a place called Frog Legs, it is a massive building with 6 or so bouncy houses and an assortment of other activities to keep a little one busy for hours. I could feel the "I need a cigar" meter filling as the party progressed (20+ wild kids can fill that meter up quick). I have heard good things about the Ruination and decided after letting it sit in the humidor for about 4 months it was time to give it a chance. I picked this one up in a sampler from Cigars International, but price per stick seems to run between 7 and 8 bucks. The wrapper is an Ecuadorean Habano Ligero, which houses a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras. The ligero component promises a stout smoke. The wrapper had a few small veins but nothing that should inhibit burn. It was packed tight with no soft spots in the oily wrapper and a earthy aroma on the body and foot. I clipped the cap with my scissors before I realized I had a Ruination cutter... oh well next time. The Initial third opened with a nice black pepper spiciness on the retrohale. The first third had flavors of rich tobacco, leather, and earth with a nuttiness to the finish. It remained a solid medium through the first third. About 1/4 of an inch in the foot cracked but it wasn't a fatal injury and wasn't bad enough to alter the burn. The second third built some strength bringing it closer to full. The leather was still present as the earthy tone moved to the background, in it's place was a cream and coffee with an occasional hint of cocoa. There was a mild sweetness that existed in the first half that seemed to turn bitter in the second half. A purge every third or fourth draw seemed to keep this bitterness at bay. The final third was at a definite full body but was in no way harsh. There was a bit of something resembling vanilla that joined in the mix in the final third. The sweetness that seemed to come and go throughout the burn was mild but just enough to grab your attention. I can certainly see why so many think highly of this cigar. The Man O War brand is blended by A.J. Fernandez maker of other brands like Diesel, San Lotano, La Herencia, and many others. From what I can find, these are a Cigars International exclusive.