Trinidad Topes (2016 Limited Edition)

Overall Score

1 review for Trinidad Topes (2016 Limited Edition)

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    Cigar Inspector

    Origin : CubaTrinidad
    Format : Topes
    Size : 125 x 56
    Hand-Made
    Price : ~$35 each

    Draw : [rating:4/6]
    Burn : [rating:3/6]
    Flavour : [rating:4/6]
    Aroma : [rating:4.5/6]
    Strength : [rating:3.5/6]

    Overall : [rating:3.8/6] (3.8)

    Introduction
    Trinidad has always been one of my all-time favourite cigar. Just thinking of the old band fundadores (El Laguito factory production from 1998 to 2003) gives me goose bumps.
    The story sets the creation of the brand in 1969 as a different blend used for diplomatic purposes. Only in 1998 a current production Trinidad was release to the public. This production was set in El Laguito (Cohiba factory), for the famous long and thin habanos: Fundadores. In 2003, the brand moved out from its mother factory to the province to grow the production.
    Trinidad is known for very smooth and elegant blend with a slow and balanced development mainly characterized by its creamy texture.

    Appearance : [rating:4/6]
    The Trinidad Topes, Like all the limited edition cigars, wears a dark Maduro wrapper. The oiliness and silkiness of the leaf isn’t the finest one. However, considering the wrapper shortage from the mother land of cigars I am satisfied with the look and feel of the Topes. Let’s not forget the wrapper does not have an influence on the blend and is purely an aesthetic leaf.

    Construction : [rating:3.5/5]
    The Trinidad topes has a very consistent pressure all the way. The cigar doesn’t feel under filled or plugged whatsoever.
    I did a straight cut on it and very shallow. On the pre-draw I could understand the construction was very well but the air flow seemed too easy to my taste.
    When lit the cigar started fine with a dense and heavy smoke. However, the burn wasn’t consistent and I had to adjust the burn few time with my lighter. The ash therefore kept feel a bit apart during the second part of the cigar.
    The lack of resistance didn’t allow an easy draw as I had to make effort to get the amount of smoke desired. Therefore, I smoked the Trinidad topes in 45mn when I usually take one hour for a Trinidad Vigia.

    Tasting
    For the first centimetre, I could clearly notify this was a young cigar. The factory code is “TOS’ and the date stamp is “DIC16”, December 2016.
    The taste of fresh ammoniac was a bit to present during the first 5-10minutes for my taste and combined with an unusual sweetness did not please me.
    Very quickly the flavour profile changed. The strength remained medium from the beginning to the end with a high intensity of coconut notes. Very surprising for a Trinidad. The aroma is incredible. Reminding me of fresh coffee beans.
    I was expecting more complexity and changes due to the young age of the Topes however the evolution was smooth.
    The last third expressed texture closer and closer to the creaminess, that made the brand so famous. Also, there is an explosion of coffee notes melted with this interesting sweetness reminding of coconut. It is very hard for me to fully understand the blend as I am not used to this flavour profile for a Trinidad.
    That last part of a cigar always has my full attention. This is when we can observe how balanced is the blend. If it starts to overheat very quickly or not and if the accumulation of tobacco increases the strength. In this case the strength, as previously stated, remains medium. The accumulation of tobacco allows the draw to be more resistant, which is very enjoyable. The flavour profile remains constant and balanced highlighted a sweet blend with sometimes a bit of bitterness and acidity which is normal for such a young cigar.

    Overall Rating : [rating:3.8/5]
    The Trinidad Topes is clearly a different Trinidad experience. Unusual sweetness profile with a low smoke density and soft texture on the palate.
    A pleasant cigar but probably not what I was expecting. It is amazing to see how new release cigars are already peasant to smoke after few month considering in the 90s we would never smoke a new release before 3 years of age as the cigars were too harsh. I strongly believe the cigar will evolve with time and in a short period of time. I wonder how these new soft blends will age in the next 10 to 20 years. Let’s stock up and we will see.

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Cigar Region Cuba
Filler Cuban
Wrapper Cuba
Binder Cuba
Length 5
Ring Gauge 56
Vitola Topes
Construction Hand Made