Cigar Extra: 1502 Emerald

Robusto, 5” x 50 ring gauge / MSRP ~$7

Moving on with my Friday series on the new smokes from 1502 Cigars (Global Premium Cigars is the parent company), we come to the Emerald. Their website states that this cigar was inspired by the quality of “Fina Fuerte”--Fine Strong. If I’m reading right the blend is San Andres Mexican and Esteli and Condega Nicaraguan leaf in the filler and binder, covered with a Nicaraguan Corojo Habano wrapper. The wrapper certainly looks like it could be a Corojo, with its light brown shade with a slightly reddish hue in some lights. The box press on these is soft, but still definite boxy in shape. I didn’t get much aroma from the wrapper, maybe a little hay; the foot had an earthy aroma.

The prelight draw was excellent, but there was not a lot of flavor evident yet...just very subtle notes of cedar and spice. Lack of flavor was not a problem once lit, though, as the 1502 Emerald exploded with flavors of earth, cedar, and black coffee on the palate, balanced with just a bit of sweetness; on the nose I got an interesting juxtaposition of menthol-like coolness and pepper spice heat. As the first half burned through, the flavor settled down a bit until I was getting mostly just earth and cedar, along with a little spice. It was still very enjoyable, though.

In the end the 1502 Emerald did not blow me away with flavor, but it was a solid cigar and the price is very reasonable. The second half was a solid natural tobacco flavor with a little earthiness and a little red pepper spice growing on the palate near the end, which I find very typical of Corojo.