Churchill, 7.125" x 48 ring gauge, $9.65
Erik Espinoza and Eddie Ortega have been partners in the cigar business for about six years now, starting with the 601 line and also producing the fabulous Cubao cigars. The Murcielago is composed of Nicaraguan filler along with a Mexican binder and wrapper leaf. On a visit to Mexico, Espinoza and Ortega were taken on a visit to a cave filled with bats which was the inspiration behind the name of this new cigar.
When released from the cellophane, the air was filled with a strong chocolate aroma. The wrapper had a touch of baker's cocoa along with some barnyard; the foot was very strong with rich chocolate. The wrapper leaf was moderately toothy and rough-feeling. There were a few moderate-sized veins. The color was a dark brown and very even with no mottling.
How loud is the sound of falling leaves? That's hard to say, but on this quiet autumn afternoon, just enough of a breeze was stirring to cause the trees across the street to lose the last of their leaves. The clattering as they hit the ground was one of the loudest noises as I sat on the porch, cigar in hand. That, and the one pesky, buzzing fly that I hoped would be driven away as soon as I lit up my stogie.
The prelight draw was easy but had little flavor--just a little of the cocoa, but even that was not very strong.The first few puffs were mildly peppery with hints of coffee. The rest of the first third was a battle between those two elements. First the dark roast coffee flavors dominated with a peppery undercurrent. But within 15 minutes the pepper ramped up to full force, leaving the coffee, and a bit of cocoa, as the undercurrent.
In the second third, the Murcielago took a rather abrupt turn toward a milder, smoother cigar with herbal and floral notes. The Nicaraguan spiciness from the beginning seemed to just disappear, and I cannot say it was for the better for my taste preferences. On the other hand, construction remained perfect: an uneven burn line upon lighting had quickly straightened out and remained straight. The draw was excellent as well.
In the last third, spice made a roaring return, this time as a chili pepper flavor that stood above the herbal flavors. The chili pepper power waned and waxed several times in the last third, but never went completely away. In all, this is a very well-made cigar that did much to confirm that Mexican tobacco could be interesting and flavorful in ways I had not previously experienced. The flavor profile, however, was not exactly my cup of tea, so I cannot give it an outstanding rating on that mark. The Murcielago is definitely a worthy addition to the EO lineup and should garner some fans, but I am not likely to be among them.
Body: 7/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 8/10
AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 2.5/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7/10
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