A budget friendly cigar from DE? Hell yeah, I'll try them. Snagged a bundle of 25 on C Bid for $29.
Ugly wrapper. Dull and a little dark for a CT wrapper. If I had to guess, I'd say they had a crop of ugly wrappers and decided to use them on these.
Nice weight in the hand, good construction. Easy cut, perfect draw.
First few draws...mild tobacco and a bit of grass.
About 1" in...a little sweet on the draw, still grassy on the finish.
About 2" in...sweet flavor is getting stronger, a tiny bit of spice in the nostrils, still grassy on the finish.
About halfway...the grassiness is subsiding (good timing cuz I was about to pitch the cigar). The sweetness is still present, a bit of wood and spice in the nose, and an anise flavor coming in on the finish. Not a bad cigar so far, but nothing impressive for sure. Not the typical mild CT wrap profile, but still a VERY mild cigar. Too mild, honestly. A few minor burn corrections since lighting.
A little past halfway...this cigar has pretty much become an airball. I like mild cigars, but this one is way too mild. Pitched it just past the halfway point.
Final thoughts...I prefer the La Vieja Habana CT to the Factory Smokes. I will set a few aside to see if they improve with time, but the rest are going in the mooch/giveaway box.