Cigar Review: Dram Cask #3 by C&C Cigars

• Vitola: Churchill
• 7” x 50 ring gauge
• MSRP ~$10
• Purchased at Maxamar

Background

When I reviewed the Dram, Cask #2, back in November, I had intended to follow up almost immediately with the Cask #3. As things often go, though, my review schedule filled up with other items I would rather smoke and rather review. The bottom line is I liked the Cask #2, but I wasn’t blown away by it…so I let the #3 go a few times. And at the time of this writing, it is the very last thing left in my “review humidor” so I’ve run out of times I could delay it again.

To review (and borrowing from a news story on Cigar-Coop), Dram Cigars are made by a company called C&C Cigars, which was founded by Joe Chuisano, formerly of the Cusano Cigar Company. Dram Cigars were designed to pair with whiskies, with the different Cask numbers corresponding to increasingly stronger types of liquor. All the cigars are reportedly made in the Dominican Republic and feature Dominican leaf heavily in the blends, although details are not found anywhere I looked.

The Cask #3 features a Habano wrapper (one source indicates it could be Nicaraguan). It is positioned as a medium-plus bodied cigar with some spice and is meant to pair with spicy and/or smokey whiskies. Looking at the company’s website, they consider Angel’s Envy, Bulleit Bourbon, Macallan 12 year and Johnny Walker Black Label to fall into those general categories. As with the Cask #2, I will be considering the cigar on its own merits, apart from pairing it with any type of Scotch or Bourbon. No offense to the creators of this cigar, but it is my belief that any cigar should be able to stand on its own without having to pair it with anything to get the most out of it…pairings should bring its own rewards on a different level. This Cask #3 I am smoking for this review was purchased at Maxamar Ultimate Cigars in Orange, California, and it is the first of this blend that I’ve had.

Prelight

As stated for the Cask #2, the bands for the DRAM line have tons of information. “Double Habano” is rendered in curved type across the top of the band, while “Cigars for whiskey” is below the branding. The lower right of the band has what type of whiskey you should pair it with (“Spicy/Smokey”), the flavor profile (“Spicy”) and strength (“Medium Plus”).

The Habano wrapper on this cigar had a medium-to-dark brown coloration with just a hint of red and plentiful oils. The aroma from the wrapper was rich and earthy, with touches of cedar and natural tobacco. The foot of the stick had a touch of earth, along with leather and wood notes.

The cold draw of the DRAM Cask #3 was excellent and featured wood, earth and bread notes, though no pepper spice to speak of…it could all be coming after lighting.

Flavor

Once I got the Cask #3 lit, the first flavors that I got were strongly woody…both cedar and oak. There was definitely some pepper spice mixed in there, but it didn’t really start coming on strongly until the finish. Subsequent puffs revealed more flavor of earth on the palate and roasted nuts on the nose. Both had moderate amounts of pepper spice. Slightly sweet bread notes also emerged as the first third continued on, a probable confirmation that there is Dominican leaf contained in the blend.

The second third continued with woody and bready flavors and not nearly as much spice as I was hoping to get in a blend that is billed as “spicy.”

The last third featured an increase in pepper spice on the palate far later than I would have expected, along with the continuation of cedar, earth and bread notes.

Construction

The draw was excellent. I had to touch up the burn line a couple times, but nothing big. The ash was as solid as I could ask.

Value

Though good, I didn’t feel like this blend really performed quite up to its price tag when evaluated on its own. Maybe it’s better with a whiskey pairing, but as I noted before, that was not the aim of this review.

Conclusions

All-in-all this was a decent smoke, but not something I could find myself reaching for on my local tobacconist shelves very often. Perhaps it would go better with whiskey, but really just about any cigar will pair with a good Bourbon, so I’m not sure that counts for much. The body was definitely in the medium-plus range and there was some spice to the flavor profile, though not as much as you would think. As always you can make up your own mind, but this isn’t one that I would go out of my way to find.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7.5/10