Grand Marnier by Ted's Cigars

Hope everyone is having a great Friday evening. This evening I felt that after a nice large meal of Tex-Mex, and a margarita followed by a Mexican cervaza, the evening was primed for a nightcap of tobacco. Having a lot of citrus aspects of the meal beforehand, I felt it fitting to follow it up with a similar flavor profile, and went strait for the Grand Marnier cigar by Teds Cigars, the third in the sampler of cigars recently obtained.

Having reviewed and enjoyed their Hopz cigar yesterday,  I was looking forward to being pleasantly surprised with a subtle infusion of the nontobacco flavoring, and prior to firing up the cigar, not detecting any real obvious casing, things were looking good.

The prelight draw brought some of the casing to light, with a bitter citrus note carried on the back of the flavor of raw tobacco.

Expecting good things based of impression from the bitter hops, hoping bitter orange liquor will add a similar dimension on flavor.  Exhibiting a tight draw, a clip cut slight up the belicoso’s head quickly cured the ailment.

Once the cigar was lit, the medium full body was of an earthy nature rounded out by a slight orange peel flavor that became more prominent throughout the cigar.  This impression of the cigar stayed strong throughout the first two thirds of the cigar. With about two inches remaining a generic spice develops and becomes progressively concentrated the longer the cigar was smoked.

In my opinion the cigar exhibited what any manufacture that decides to produce a flavored cigar should strive for, harmony between the flavoring and the natural product base. Far too often it seems casings are used to obstruct the flavors that make cigar smoking the enjoyable and refined hobby that it can be, and neither provide the tobacco flavor nor a good infused flavor balance.

The Hopz and Grand Marnier cigars should be the benchmarks for tobacco coupled with the flavors of food and spirits.

Happy smoking,

Pope Crisco