Nadi Classic Habano Gilgamesh
Size: 7×50 Churchill
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican and Nicaragua
Nadi Cigars is an up and comming cigar company. They are based out of Florida and thier cigars are produced in the Dominican Republic. Their cigars are hand-rolled by a former Davidoff master roller and it shows in the quality of the cigars. All of the vitolas of thier cigars are named after historical rulers. The Epic of Gilgamesh is, perhaps, the oldest written story on Earth. I have seen a bit of info of the company online and mainly on twitter. They also have a website that is in the works.
First Looks: The first thing I see that stands out is a very nice and neatly applied triple cap atop a medium brown Habano wrapped cigar. The wrapper is fairly smooth with a few viens here and there. The overall feal of the cigar is solid with no hard or soft spots. The foot has a bold aroma of straw. A guillotine reveals a semi-firm draw with a slight straw note.
First Third: The first few puff of the cigar is of a sweetness note. An undertone of chocolate is tasted off in the background as well. The chocolate fades off and a very faint spice note creeps up. The spice is of a cedary spice note. The cedary spice note turns quickly into a sweet woody note with less spice. The draw and burn are doing very well. The draw is still on the “thick” side, but is easing up nicely as I progress into the cigar more and more. I would rather have a slightly tighter draw than a loose draw any day. A very tight ringed ash forms from the even burn. The ash holds for almost two inches! The flavors in the smoke are smooth, with no harshness and is a nice change of pace from the new “fad” of power body and no flavor cigars.
Second Third: As I smoke more into the Gilgamesh, I notice more and more how smooth the smoke is. A smooth woodiness seems to linger on the tip of my tounge. The sweetness is still there, but has faded some. But the retrohale reveals the sweetness a little more. I really like the faint sweetness and woody notes. They are an interesting combonation thats not too bold or lacking. This would be a good cigar to start off your morning. The flavors and body are not full, more of a medium body and flavor. The cigar produces a plethera of thick smoke, and the draw is opening up to a point thats very comfortable. Each ash holds for atleast an inch and a half each time. A sign of a well constructed cigar.
Final Third: Usually, I don’t care too much for either 60rg or churchill cigars; they are usually too much for me to actually enjoy them. But the Gilgamesh is moving along quite nicely and I am taking a liking to it.
The sweetness has almost completely left the smoke, but the woody notes are still there and the main player. There is a slight undertone of a nuttiness working towards the end of the cigar. I can’t place my finger on the exact nut though. The wood and nutty notes are a good compliment to each other. Though, I like the sweet and woodiness of the first half of the cigar.
Final Thoughts: Overall a medium body and flavored cigar that has notes of sweetness, slight spice, and nuttiness. The main note of the cigar is woody notes. A thick draw at the start that eases off very nicely once into it some. The even burn produces a tight ash of white and dark gray. The smoke is smooth and never harsh at all. No relights and long ashes are tell tale signs of good construction.
I look forward to the release of the Nadi Cigar lines. I, personally, think this blend would be a nice candidate of a lancero or possibly a corona size. I would like to see what this blend could do in a smaller ring gauge.
The Nadi Classic Habano Gilgamesh is not overpowering in flavor or power, but deffinately not lacking in the flavor and construction department.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
I am very pleased to see such a well written, honest and favorable review of this nice cigar. I have smoked quite a few of the Nadi’s and your review is right on the money. If is remotely possible for them to offer a Lancero at some point, you can be sure that they will do so.