Cigar Preview: Recluse Amadeus by Iconic Leaf

Vitola: Toro
Size: 6.25” x 50 ring gauge
MSRP $8.50
Sample provided by Iconic Leaf

Background

Iconic Leaf Cigar Company has been very cognizant of “new media” since their inception, providing review samples to the 800 lb gorilla bloggers as well as us smaller review sites, and their latest release was no exception. Amadeus is the new blend in their “Recluse” collection, destined to be officially unleashed at this year’s trade show. They provided me with a couple pre-release samples earlier this month, sans band as you can see from the photo.

Recluse Amadeus uses Dominican Ligero, Viso, and Seco filler leaves, as well as some Connecticut Broadleaf in the mix. Then they use a proprietary MBC binder leaf, and a Grade A Ecuadorian grown Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf. According to the materials sent with the cigar, they use a two-year fermentation process and entubar rolling.

Notes

This is a good looking Connecticut Shade cigar. The leaf appears flawless and very well rolled. The box press is soft, but it’s definitely a pressed stick.

It smelled grassy, with some sweetness. The foot was grassy, too, but with a touch of earth to it. Prelight draw was great; tasted grassy and syrupy.

Once lit, this stogie was mild and creamy with plentiful sweet hay flavor. I also got lesser notes of orange peel, cedar, and earth, as well as a touch of black pepper on the retrohale.

As I burned through the stick, it slowly built from mild to medium in body. I picked up more earth and pepper as it went.

At the end, I judged it a satisfactory cigar and one that would work very well for newbies to cigars or for those who only smoke occasionally. While it was good, it didn’t strike me as overly flavorful at this point…then again, this was just a pre-release sample and it could be better (or worse) by the time it actually hits store shelves.