601 Green Oscuro (Tronco)

Up for review this week is a 601 Green Oscuro in the Tronco size (5.0" x 52). After reading a lot of positives about the 601 line I decided to pick one up from Cigar Aficionado here in Charlottesville, Va. First glance out the wrapper is an impressive one. Very well constructed and an overall attractive cigar. Initial pre-light notes were a kind of sweet pepper that made my nose tingle and the cigar was firmly packed with no soft spots detected. The pre-light draw after a clip with a guillotine was very nice as well.

The first couple puffs off the cigar was a very strong pepper, I would almost describe it as being "chili pepper spicy" on the lips.

During the first third I picked up on leather with a bit of pepper in the background. There was also a faint sweetness here and there that is hard to explain yet pleasant. The ash was firm but produced a little bit of flakyness during the initial inch or two.

During the second third the black pepper bursted through again and was real detectable on the front of the tongue. The cigar was producing a lot of smoke, which was nice as well. I was also picking up stronger notes of leather at this point.

Once I got into the last third the strength of the cigar hit me upside the head real good and I had to put this baby down. I started feeling a little quesy and decided to put it out for the count. I had read that this was one strong cigar but didn't really pick up on it too much until it was too late.

Overall this was a real solid cigar, but the strength of it was too much for me. I don't have any more in my humidor, but I would try my hand at another in the future if given the opportunity. I'm curious now about the other 601's and might grab a Blue box-pressed maduro next time I'm at the local B&M.