La Escepcion Cazadores Miramar

[GTS21]

A lot of hype surrounds this cigar, and having smoked one, I now see why.

La Escepcion cigars are fairly rare to begin with, having been officially discontinued in 1989. See MRN, pg. 231. However, models such as the Longos and the Gran Gener can still be found in decent quantities. The Cazadores Miramar, on the other hand, are tremendously difficult to come by these days.

MRN sums it up well: "The Cazadores Miramar, probably the strongest cigar ever made after the Revolution, is now considered a collector's item." See MRN, pg. 231.

This cigar’s reputation precedes it. Rare and sought after by collectors, and hailed as the strongest post revolution cigar by MRN. That’s a lot to live up to. Does this cigar live up to the hype? Yep.

The setting: A gorgeous early Summer day on the deck...

The cigar: La Escepcion Cazadores Miramar (presumed early 80s)

MRN, referring to a 1985 specimen, opines that the cigar “despite being packaged in a Semi Plain Box, when smoked today, is still remarkably strong. It might need another 10 years for the cigar to mellow.” See MRN, pg. 232. MRN furthers states that “Woody, peppery and earthy are the predominate flavours, which blend with the very strong tobacco taste in outstanding balance.” See MRN, pg. 232.

I agree with MRN’s assessment of this cigar.

This cigar sported a rustic, leathery colorado maduro wrapper, rounded cap and a moderate amount of veins. No box press, and a decent amount of tooth. The cigar felt solidly constructed, with no soft or hard spots to speak of.

I clipped the top and encountered a fairly loose draw, which was a little surprising given the feel of the cigar. A little more resistance would have been preferred, but the smoking experience was not negatively affected.

I toasted and lit the foot, and……BANG! Right away, this cigar was a powerhouse of flavors. Like a Wolters Gold Medal on steroids….wet dirt, straight tobacco, chocolate, coffee, pepper. No doubt, this is a STRONG cigar in terms of spice and flavor (not necessarily a strong cigar in terms of nicotine content, however -- I did not encounter the familiar nicotine buzz that often accompanies a strong cigar). Not the kind of cigar that one smokes and detects “notes” of this or that. This cigar smacks the smoker in the face with flavor from beginning to end. I can still taste it 30 minutes later. Looooong finish.

Smoke just poured from this cigar. Clouds of thick blue smoke that smelled incredible…like a combination of dark chocolate and dirt. As with the 70s Hoyo DC reviewed several weeks back, due to the lack of a breeze, I was able to enjoy the sight of the ample smoke rising after each puff…very relaxing.

A rush of flavors from beginning to end, this cigar did not disappoint. It remained well-mannered until the last inch or so, when the spice became a bit too much to tolerate. I didn’t want to put this cigar down, and I find myself thinking about the nub sitting in the ashtray outside….hmmm….

A remarkable smoke that lives up to the considerable hype (IMHO). It won’t be easy, but I’ll have to keep myself from touching another one of these for a long time.