Cigar Review: El Primer Mundo “Epifanía”
Back story/Product info:
“As an addition to the Miami series of cigars rolled in Little Havana this cigar delivers a rich, full bodied profile. With a beautiful Ecuadorian wrapper, the Epifania is balanced with a terrific blend of tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Rolled in the traditional Entubado method, the Epifania offers nice spice, rich smoke and complexity.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican
Strength: Medium to Full Bodied”
The brand, “El Primer Mundo” is completely new to me, to be completely honest. Of course, I’ve seen these when I scoured the humidor at work, but to my palate, these are completely new. One random Tuesday, we received a box of these Limited Edition “Epifanía” and I was compelled to try one. I really liked it, but this time around, I’m actually sitting around on my porch and really enjoying one.
First appearances:
Since the beginning of time, cigar manufacturers have come to grips with the concept that a good looking cigar is one that will sell (though we all know that a cigar has to smoke great as well!). Right off the bat, this is a good looking cigar. Upon inspecting it, all things look good; The construction is seamless, and the wrapper has no defects (grafts, etc), even though this comes in a no cellophane presentation.
Pre-Light:
Upon smelling the wrapper I get a pretty mild scent. Lots of grass, with a touch of sweetness in the background. I know already that this is going to be a mild to medium bodied smoke. Those who are aware of my smoking preferences know that I usually am on the other side of the spectrum, but am still able to enjoy a mild to medium bodied cigar, provided that my pallet is clean.
The cold draw feels good, as it is neither too loose or too tight. I’m getting the same favors that I received from smelling the cigar ; nice, grassy and sweet.
First Third:
Upon lighting, I’m greeted with a tad bit of spice, on top of the flavors mentioned in the cold draw. So far, the flavor is pretty complex. The smoke is nice and cool, along with producing a decent amount of smoke. The inhale out of the nose reveals some more spice, but nothing too intense. For a cigar that’s pretty complex, the finish is really short and clean, leaving flavor on my palate for about fifteen seconds or so. About an inch in, the ash looks nice and the burn is relatively even (I’m doing this review “live”, on my porch). The aroma is nice, too; no ammonia or anything, which is generally prevalent in minuscule amounts on a new cigar.
So far, I’m pretty impressed.
Halfway:
Heading halfway through the stick, I find that the flavor profile more or less stays the same, with some subtle, but none the less noticeable changes. The mild spice that I found in the first third has really stepped into the background, making way for sweeter flavors, say caramel. Still full flavor profile with mild strength . The burn is still going strong and most importantly, I’m still enjoying this cigar thoroughly
Final Third:
Things are picking up slightly in flavor, though I’m getting some new coffee with cream notes in the forefront, which only seems natural for this cigar. This cigar is amazingly consistent, as I’ve dealt with cigars in the past that have changed for the worse when approaching the end. The smoke is still pretty cool and the burn has been nothing short of being razor straight. This cigar has done nothing but exceed expectations for me
Parting thoughts:
This cigar is a great value for the money, along with the rest of the El Primer Mundo line of cigars, which I will review later down the line. If you’re looking for a medium bodied cigar with a ton of flavor, look no further, especially of you’re looking to break outside the realm of your daily smokes. I really enjoyed this cigar, and I am usually on the full bodied side of the cigar spectrum. This cigar is a limited release, and it is available at all five Emerson’s locations, as well as at emersonscigars.com.
