Cigar Review: Nick & Jim P.B.E

Cigar: Nick & Jim P.B.E
Size: Toro (6 x 50)
Wrapper: Ecuador (Vuelta Abajo Seed)
Binder: Ecuador (Vuelta Abajo Seed)
Filler: Nicaragua, Peru
Price: $9.99 per cigar from Rodrigo Cigars

After last week’s debacle with the water in the basement, I am happy to report life in the Siddle household is falling into a normal routine to start 2018. My wife and kids are back in school and/or daycare and I begin the music gigs that come about every winter season (or at least for the last six or seven years). As this relates to the cigars, in the last couple of years, I have started the year with cigars that I wasn’t able to fit into 2017. The Nick & Jim P.B.E is one such cigar that I came upon last month and just couldn’t find the time to get it done before the year ended.

Anytime George Rodríguez announces a new cigar that he is distributing, I usually take a moment and see what it is all about. The track record has been solid over the years (Island Jim, Corona Project, and the La Fortaleza just to name a few). When I read the email announcement about a new cigar from Jim Robinson (Island Jim himself), I figured the probability of it being a cigar I would enjoy would be high.

No construction issues found on the last cigar from the group bought (five pack purchased). I did notice the ‘not-quite-shaggy’ foot of the cigar (technically called a closed foot). An interesting touch to a cigar to perhaps separate it from looking like everything else out there. Before the cut, I got ample amounts of wood and earth-like aromas, After the cut (standard cut by the guillotine), the cold draw awarded me notes of more wood and leafy green flavors. The light gave me a nicely balanced draw with opening flavors notes of pepper in the back of the throat, light wood and something akin to a dark roast black coffee. George characterized the strength of this cigar as medium bodied and I would tend to agree with the assessment. In my opinion, it’s a medium bodied cigar that stretches over into medium-to-full bodied by the end of its smoking. 12 minutes into smoking was where I got the first flavor change in a mellowing of the pepper. 21 minutes after that, new notes of leather and stronger woody notes took the forefront on the flavor palette. In the final 10 minutes or so of the cigar, the woody flavors mentioned throughout began returning to prominence while accompanied with finishing touches of black coffee. Total smoking time on the Nick & Jim P.B.E. was 1:31.

Aside from a minor burn correction, the cigar smoked without any issues. All in all, it was yet another cigar highlighted from George Rodríguez that I enjoyed immensely.

By-The-Numbers
Pre-light: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.25/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.25/10

To recap the Nick & Jim P.B.E:

• A fantastic new cigar from Jim Robinson and Nick Syris from LH Premium Cigars. It offers a great balance of flavors and strength while offering enough of each to appeal to all ranges of cigar smokers.
• Under $10 a stick is always welcome for my bank account.
• I think if I would have time to get a proper review of this, it would have at the very least made the honorable mentions list from 2017 favorites. This is definitely one to check out. I know I’ll be picking more up in the future.

Thank you very much for reading. I look forward to the next time I can share my thoughts with you.