MAY 13, 2021 - PHIL KURUT, COMEDY - CIGARS - MUSIC
HIRAM & SOLOMON VEILED PROPHET MONARCH (6 x 54)
WRAPPER: BRAZILIAN ARAPIRACA
BINDER: INDONESIA
FILLER: NICARAGUA, PARAGUAY
Beautiful dark wrapper. Smooth but rugged to the touch. Not in a First Blood (Rambo) rugged kind of way, but in a more subdued modern day scruff rugged. It’s nice. Now, I’m questioning a lot about myself. Anyway. It’s a beautiful cigar. The band sits well like the perfect tie with a custom suit. Not that I know anything about that. I’m lucky to put on a pair of jeans and a shirt that look halfway decent together. Do not, I repeat, do not take fashion advice from me…unless you couldn’t care less about fashion, then by all means please ask away. Not really. Or, as the kids say by way of text, jk.
The aroma off the foot and wrapper hit with raisin, cream, and chocolate right out of the gate. Hay, spice, and sweet leather speak up in the second sniff. Sweet leather. Sounds like an 80’s rock song. A bad 80’s rock song. Or, maybe the best 80’s rock song. Who knows?
From light up, sweetness hits me, followed up by a heavy, dark woodiness. Spice lays over the back of my tongue and the top of the back of my mouth, and, every so often, pencil lead comes in to remind the teacher about homework on Friday. Get out of here, bud. Nobody likes you. And, just like that, he seems to take heed and exit. Butter peeks in every so often to keep the party moving along.
The retrohale offers some heavy, dark earth, and the finish follows suit with its own addition of bitter dark chocolate and a tobacco core that pulls it all together with spice anchoring itself on the back of my tongue and roof of my mouth. Well played.
The aroma of the foot smoke kicks up the class in the room a notch with a very pleasant woodiness, sweetness, chocolate, and spice. We seem to be chuggin’ along well so far. Let’s hope I’m not jinxing this thing. The draw and smoke output are just about perfect. The draw might be a little snug, but I can already feel it opening up for me. Didn’t even have to coax it.
Well into the first third, and that heavy, dark woodiness leads the charge like William Wallace in Braveheart (based off true events). Sweetness, a hint of coffee, and pencil lead are riding battle horses alongside. Pencil lead. Dare I say I don’t mind it? What? No one else chomped on pencils as a kid? Neither did I. Much. Feel free to hit me on the technicality that it was probably graphite. That’s fine. Raisin hops on the battlefield right near the end of the first third.
Heavy, dark earth and a hint of coffee shoots through the old nasal cavity, and coffee grounds and spice provide a pleasant bath in the finish. And the smoke. I’m chewing it, and it’s good.
The burn is considering going a little off course, but it’s keeping itself well enough in check that I guess I’ll let it roam a little without meddling. Speaking of which, I have no neighbors to meddle in my business, and I like it. Not that I don’t like neighbors, but, well, actually, I don’t like neighbors.
Heading into the midway point of the second third, and the burn has found its way back home. Kind of like a dog who has rediscovered its tail and is victorious in its battle…with itself.
The flavors keep rockin’ and rollin’ with dark chocolate, dark toastiness…it’s like this cigar needs to be dark…subdued saltiness, raisin, and spice. That spice is right in the sweet spot where it brings the cigar to life instead killing everything else. I like it.
The retrohale brings on some earth, coffee, and raisin. Dark coffee is complemented by the subtlety of leather, sweetness, and spice in the finish. And, right when you think that was a good enough finish, raisin waits until the party is nearly over to make a very welcomed appearance.
The draw is dang near perfect now, and the chewiness of the smoke has invited creaminess to join the group. Harmony.
What about that burn? It’s playing very well with others. Not a touch up yet, and the ash has been solid throughout.
In my video review, I talked about new lingo the kids are throwing around today, and I feel compelled to let my plea be known here, as well. When does the word “bruh” expire? Soon, I hope. Also, can we all do the world a favor and kill the phrase “Those who know, know”? Even in hashtag form its plenty annoying, and I would like to think it has run its course. Anyway.
The burn has started to travel its own journey again, but it still maintains the same destination as the group and needs no guidance from me here in the final third. Go get ‘em, buddy.
Dark toastiness introduces the pull, while a nice milk chocolate smooths out the conversation. Oak and cedar come forth. Come forth? Sure. And, wouldn’t you know it? Raisin is still dropping in. Out through the nose I get leather and earth. The finish isn’t holding anything back with a shot of leather and spice. Both still pleasant. Creaminess? Are you still here? Yes. Yes, it is, and it’s actually adding an understated marshmallow note to the mix at the end.
The draw and smoke output ended out top-notch. They earned their trophies. No participation trophies here.
SMOKE TIME: 2 hrs. 12 mins.
RATING: 3.50 / 4 - This cigar came dressed to impress, and it did.
Click HERE to watch the video review.