Vitola: Perfecto- 5” x 58 ring gauge
- MSRP $14
- Purchased at Burns Tobacconist
Background
It’s no secret that I have really enjoyed the Tabernacle releases from Foundation Cigars, both the original Broadleaf and Habano No 142 versions, and several sizes in either blend. So when I heard that they were expanding the Broadleaf line with two perfectos this year, I was excited. Keeping with the Biblical theme, the two new sizes are David and Goliath. Guess which one is larger? If you guessed “David” then perhaps you need to spend some time reading your Bible…go ahead, I’ll wait here…
Back? Good. So, David and Goliath are really just two new sizes of the same Broadleaf blend that has been made for several years. They features Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers, a Mexican San Andres binder, and a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. Foundation owner, Nick Melillo, says that these two sizes “deliver depth, complexity, body, and flavor.”
I found Goliath for sale at Burns Tobacconist earlier this month, so I bought a couple. This review sample is the second time I’ve smoked this vitola. I got some information about the release from Cigar-Coop.
Prelight
I didn’t see the box for the Goliath, but I am guessing it’s the same lacquered wood as the other Tabernacle releases. The band is radically different with a depiction of David standing over Goliath with a sword, ready to chop his head off, after knocking him down with a rock out of a slingshot. A secondary band notes that this is the Goliath, a 5 x 58 perfecto. This vitola reminds me of some other cigar, but I won’t mention which one…not even if pigs fly.
The wrapper leaf was a dark chocolate brown, veiny and oily like the best Connecticut Broadleaf tends to be. It smelled of earth and leather and anise. The foot had very little smell because of the shape, but I got a little earth and cedar.
The prelight draw was very good and had flavors of tea, unsweetened cocoa powder, and black cherries.
Flavor
From first light of the first time I smoked this size, I was fairly convinced it was a tweaked version of the Tabernacle Broadleaf blend. It was similar, with black coffee, dark chocolate, and red pepper coming through in abundance, but it also had a pronounced anise note that I don’t recall being prominent at all in the other vitolas. The smoke was thick, oily, and full-bodied with a sharp pepper note on the retrohale. As I worked my way through the first third, I continued to get a good amount of anise and pepper.
The second third had a little less anise and a slight increase in sweetness which was welcome as it balanced out the notes off coffee and earth. There was still a strong peppery note on the palate and nose.
In the last third the Tabernacle Goliath was full of coffee and earth notes, with enough sweetness still to give a great counterpoint, plenty of pepper spice, and a touch of anise. And it was just plain full-bodied.
Construction
The draw was among the best I’ve had for a torpedo-tipped cigar, the burn line was very straight, and the ash was solid.
Value
These are a little pricey, but it was an excellent cigar so I’ll give it full value point.
Conclusions
I really enjoyed the Goliath, despite the ring gauge that I normally wouldn’t gravitate toward. It really points out the strength of this blend that it performs so well from a Lancero all the way up to a 58 ring gauge perfecto. I think the Lancero and Corona sizes outperform this vitola slightly, but it was a great example of a full-bodied, but complex and enjoyable cigar.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10
