The Cigar Sasquatch

Everyone knows the Cigar Sasquatch is Coo-Coo for Connecticut, and it’s also no mystery that I like my cigars big. But one thing I may never have mentioned is that I’m a Sucker for Salomons. So when I found these Reposado ’96 Salomons (7×58), I felt like I had hit the Cigar Jackpot! I just had to try a fiver.

For those unfamiliar with the shape, a Salomon is like a perfecto in that it starts narrow, then gets fat, then tapers to the head. But in a Salomon, the thickest portion is the first inch past the foot, like little baseball bats you can smoke. Also (sometimes) called a Diadema, they’re front-loaded with flavor, delivering the fullest smoke at the beginning when it would otherwise be most mild, then dialing it back down the length, counteracting the cigar’s natural tendency to grow darker and heavier towards the finish. It delivers a consistent flavor profile, and allows for a large cigar to remain smooth and pleasant for the duration.

Reposado '96 Connecticut (7x58)

The Reposado ’96s are well-rolled, if not exactly beautiful; they’re solid and packet with aged Nicaraguan longfillers, and finished in a fine Connecticut Shade wrapper (they’re also available in Habano and Maduro).

The first flavors feature pronounced nutty and toasty layers, with a creamy texture and no spice. The draw is tight at first because of the narrow Salomon foot, but it opens up beautifully (1) after the first half-inch as it reaches the beefy 58-ring portion of the body, ramping up the smoke volume (1), strengthening the nutty palate, and adding hints of maple and toasted cedar, with a subtle layer of caramelized sweetness.

The burn is slightly disorganized as it passes that massive bulge at the foot, but straightens out nicely after the first inch, producing a flaky salt-and-pepper ash that easily holds to an inch or more, with nice double cones. It smokes to a cool 2-inch nub in a staggering 100 minutes, remaining smooth and consistent to the end.

Don’t let the milky Connecticut Shade wrapper fool you on this one. It’s big enough and there’s enough oomph in the Nicaraguan core to satisfy the power-hounds (4), but it’s smooth enough to sneak up on you, like sipping a premium vodka Martini.

I rate this cigar 8.7, an excellent pair with light Brandy or Port, or the most mild of Single Malts. It has an enjoyable flavor profile and good construction, in a size and shape that I love. At $2.50 per stick (in massive chests of 40), or $15 for a 5-pack, they’re certainly an affordable option, particularly for their size. I imagine the Habano would be quite powerful, better suited as an after dinner cigar, and I expect the Maduro to live somewhere in the middle, adding a tangy sweetness to the complex and balanced profile. Stay tuned.

Until next time, this is the Cigar Sasquatch saying, “Love what you smoke, and smoke what you love.”