Cigar Review: Epoca by Nat Sherman

Vitola: Breva
Size: 5 x 42 ring gauge
Price ~$9
Purchased at Burns Tobacconist

Background

Epoca is the newest release from Nat Sherman, but also harkens back to their oldest release. It was released earlier this year and first showed up on my store’s shelves soon after the annual IPCPR gathering. It’s not the first time the brand has seen the light of day, though. It was actually the first cigar brand owned by Nat Sherman, dating all the way back to 1929. According to their website, it was a “Clear Havana” blend at the time, using Cuban leaf. Today Epoca is made in the Dominican Republic by Quesada, Nat Sherman’s major supplier of blends, and uses Nicaraguan and Dominican leaf in the blend, finished off by an “Ecuadorian wrapper.” If I had to guess, based on coloration and overall appearance, I’d guess Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut Shade, but that was stipulated anywhere on their official site.The art used for boxes and bands is all reproduced from the original Epoca line.

They are produced in a range of 6 vitolas. I chose the Breva because it is the smallest ring gauge; I smoked one previous to this review stick, and I purchased both of them at Burns Tobacconist.

Prelight

The band for Epoca is truly a throwback. If someone had told me, “This line has been in production for 90 years uninterrupted,” I would expect the bands to look like this. Classic use of red ink and gold foil, along with some embossing…that was practically synonymous with old-style cigar bands for decades, and is still a look widely used for Cuban cigars today (Punch, H. Upmann, Hoyo de Monterrey, Partagas…just to name a few). The wrapper leaf was a golden hue with very even coloration and a bit of oiliness under the fingertips. It had a fresh, sweet hay aroma to it, while the foot had a bit of funky earthiness. The cold draw was excellent and featured notes of hay, natural tobacco and a touch of wood.

Flavor

After getting the end of the Epoca lit evenly, I experienced a slightly bitter note that was similar to Dominican Coffee for me, as well as cedar, grass, and a bit of saltiness. On the nose, the smoke had more of a peppery bite. As I puffed through the first third a bit I detected some pepper on the palate, as well as a subtle addition of some creamy sweetness to the mix, helping to balance the more bitter notes. Toward the end of the first third, I noted that the cigar had become quite well balanced, hitting sweet, bitter and salty receptors on the tongue as well as increasing a bit in the pepper spice on the palate, all while maintaining a mild-to-medium body.

While the first third seemed to highlight the Nicaraguan leaf a bit, the second third was much more about the Dominican. I got more of a bready/toasty flavor in the mix, with additional grassy notes and an overall diminishing of wood and pepper. The balance seemed a bit off to me, as well, with less sweetness.

At the end, some pepper re-emerged in the profile and I picked up some additional sweetness as well.

Construction

I experienced a very even burn line, solid ash and excellent draw.

Value

Starting at $9 a stick, I wouldn’t call this a “bargain” cigar, but it is a good smoking experience for the money nonetheless.

Conclusions

The Epoca is a good addition to the Nat Sherman line, occupying a spot close to the Sterling in that they are both mild-to-medium bodied cigars with heavily Dominican blends and Ecuadorian wrappers. The Sterling costs more and delivers a more luxurious experience, while the Epoca makes for a more standard entry into the “new wave Connecticut” category. I enjoyed this short Corona vitola and would definitely smoke it again as a morning cigar, and I might even go for one of the slightly larger sizes to see how they differ.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10