Dubai – Day 9 (Thurs 23rd Sept)

We had a day in Old Dubai, away from the skyscrapers and in the realm of street traders. I picked up a GENIUNE rolex for 100dh after a little looking about and haggling. A long with a brass Brunton Compass, which i very heavy and seems to work for only 85dh about £17. After that we headed to beach and I don’t think i have every drunk so much salt water. Once we were back at the apartment, it was cigar time. The only cigar I have left from my “Smokers Centre” visit was the Macanduo. I cant say I have been licking my lips in anticipation over this one, but hey it’s a smoke. So while sat in the hot and muggy (humid) air, playing frustration (which Scott cheats like a mo-fo at) I got ready to try this Dominican(yes I brought a lot of them)

(From what I have read about these cigars, they are supposed to be the richer, more stronger brother to the standard range of Macanudos. HA HA HA HA)

Rolled in : Dominican Republic
Wrapper : Connecticut
Binder : Connecticut
Filler : Mexican
Size: 5 1/2″ x 42

The tube looks horrid, the green isn’t pretty and yes I dislike the new Punch-Punch tubes too(good job the cigars taste so damn good).  The aroma when you crack the tube isn’t appealing either, the strong fish food aroma on Nicaraguans is there, I wish I had time and a humidor to allow this cigar to breathe a little! The wrapper seemed ok, very veiny and about as cylindrical as a modern Smarties tube(which is hexagonal). The cut went without a hitch, but the wrapper seemed very thick almost binder thickness. The light was simple a few wafts under a lighter and it was going. The first issue was where’s the flavour?    A very bland and flat start, a little sandy but quiet a dry smoke. Has some one switched this,  for a big Dutch cigar with a Brazilian wrapper? As the dull(I really didn’t enjoy this cigar, can you tell?) first third progressed, a few more flavours came into the mix. Subtle hints of Liquorice, sweetness a hint of dusty earth. The smoke was slow and needed a draw or two to coerce the thing to get a good draw.

The issue with the bad draw didn’t stop as I entered the middle run. It seemed to want me to not only stub it out, but go out and find its mother so I could stop her from reproducing(yes cigars are living things). The flavours didn’t really go anywhere, at moments I could taste a little more sweetness and others hints of coffee. The wrapper also blistered, not that this made any difference to how it smoked, at all!!!!!! I was beginning to regreat buying this cigar. The smoke was still flat and light, nothing like what I was expecting. Richer and more fuller bodied compared to its standard brother, my arse. The final third was more like it. It began with a slight increase in body, a bitter edge had come along. The coffee flavours grew, a little and a hint of cocoa had replaced the licorice. This all changed as I entered the final inch. The cigar had come to life finally after 4 inches of, well…erm….yeah…say  no more(have you been reading?) The cigar became more Medium bodied dragging an array of Earthy, Leathery flavours with it. All this after I tapped, the ash like a mad man. The sweet cocoa flavours also grew, while the coffee hints fell away. The after taste wasn’t very pleasant either, I can’t put my finger on it but not too tasty. The final few draws became very meaty and I was at last happy with this smoke.

Well what can I say, I must have had another dud here. From reading other peoples reviews, they seem to be tasty cigars! But this wasn’t! A badly made smoke, didn’t want to burn, had so little flavour. 50 mins of my life I will never get back. The final inch or so pulled something back, but on the whole a naff cigar. Macaunduo have never been the same since the Jamaican production stopped. The Dominicans don’t pack the flavour. The regular (white tubed) are not bad cigars, but there a million miles from these. If I have chance to try one again, I will but only if you hold a gun to my head. The wrapper cracked and wasn’t a great shape. It seemed to bulge during smoking too. I want to be more positive but I cant. Sorry Macanudo!

Construction .. 5/10
Burn .. 7/10
Flavour (1/3) .. 5/10
Flavour (2/3) .. 4/10
Flavour (3/3) .. 7/10

Overall .. 5.5/10