Forget Thanksgiving, 2006, I waited until the 8th Anniversary of Maurice Greene's greatest performance, accomplished in Athens, Greece on this day in 1999. That's right, I found the thread from the day I got mine and resurrected it for this review.
Yes folks, Ol' Bloof finally smoked the dreaded El Cobre, and I must tell you, nearly two hours after I finished smoking it, I am still wobbly, and wouldn't be surprised if the kick lasted until Monday.
WOW!!! I know this line has been discontinued, as I have sketchily followed the progress of this cigar since its release. All I can say is, if anyone out there can get a hold of any, get them and enjoy them.
My experience with the 6x54 El Cobre torpedo that Mr. Svenson and cigarsmoka sent me almost two years ago, was a full bodied and full flavored cigar, with a thunderous kick. Cigarsmoka was right, they are NOT for the faint of heart!!! Wow again.
I lit this cigar at 1907 hours, earlier this evening. It gave flavors of flint and a bit of cayenne pepper through the first third of the cigar, and at this point I began to spit, very often. I decided that a two shot tasting of Evan Williams 1783 10 year old bourbon was in order, because I had already realized that I should have aged it at LEAST ANOTHER two years!!!
By the time I reached the halfway mark, I was tasting a delicious steak in a molé sauce. This flavor profile predominated until about two thirds of the way through when hints of cocoa and a strong Brazil nut flavor appeared. Throughout the cigar, the draw was excellent, the construction perfect, and as it got down to the nub, a very deep, rich and sweet flavor peeked through. I finished this cigar at 2106 hours, a 1 hour, 59 minute smoke.
I did take the precaution of having a nice meal before this cigar, but to no avail. My stomach is still queasy, and shortly after the smoke, I exploded in sweat, with the usual dizziness that accompanies me any time I smoke a very strong cigar. I spit frequently and profusely from about a third of the way through, until at least ten minutes after finishing this cigar. A pint of Haagen Dazs, and wobbling around the apartment has not killed the enormous "head" of this cigar.
My opinion of El Cobre is that of an outstanding smoke, but to truly be a cigar that I could say I enjoyed the taste of without the overwhelming spice and fearsome kick, I know that it could easily take another two to three years of age. In other words, a total of up to five years of age, and then it would be perfect for Bloof. I also believe that it can take potentially ten years of aging in a personal humidor and still match up with many cigars in a taste test. This speaks to the blending care and quality of this cigar, and if they are out there, I recommend you buy them, and put a few years of age on them to see for your self.
El Cobre, short-lived in the annals of cigardom, but a huge success in my opinion. Thank you very much again, Mr. Svenson and cigarsmoka, and all the folks at Cigar.com who made this generous gift possible.
