Inception 518

Overall Score

1 review for Inception 518

  1. Aaron

    Inception 518

    Inception CigarsOrigin : ?
    Format : Corona Extra
    Size : 6.5 x 46
    Wrapper : Nicaraguan Cuban Seed 98’ Criollo
    Filler : Mexican, Honduran, Nicaraguan Cuban Seed Habano
    Binder : Costa Rican Cuban Seed 98’ Criollo
    Hand-Made
    Price : ~$7-8 each

    It’s been a little while since I have reviewed a cigar. I took some time off for health reasons, but now I am back and better than ever and ready to start this year off with a review of Inception Cigars from Houston, Texas. Last year, Inception sent over a sampler of their cigars. I smoked through the different sizes and settled on reviewing my favorite of the three sizes, the 6.5 x 46 corona extra.

    Appearance : [rating:3.5/5]
    The 518 is six and a half inches of dark, reddish-brown tobacco. I do like how oily the wrapper appears, usually always a good sign. The cigar has very few visible veins and a tight roll with good seams. There is a noticeable bumpiness to the exterior and the cigar does not look as clean and smooth as its large production counterparts in the cigar business. It also sports and solid black, glossy band with red font. The aromas off the wrapper are of earth, dirt, and cedar.

    Construction : [rating:4/5]
    Even though the 518 has some bumpiness to its exterior, for a small production cigar it seems solidly built. The filler tobaccos are not too packed and let through a good amount of air for a superb draw. The double cap is well placed, although a little off kilter, but it didn’t matter after being lopped off with my Xikar cutter. When squeezing along its lines, there was a minor soft spot near the head of the cigar.

    Overall burn characteristics showed the 518 performing pretty solid with only a few touch ups needed. No tunneling or canoeing noticed during the smoking experience. Smoke production was thick and copious.

    Flavor : [rating:3.5/5]
    After the spark, the Inception 518 shows a lot of dark earthy flavors some slight sweetness backed with a load of spice. After a few puffs, the sweetness seems to take a backseat and the smoke takes on a very dry and chalky texture. The retrohale is taken aback from the drying nature of the smoke. At this point the cigar is over medium bodied and closer the full.

    After an inch or two the cigar brings forth loads of thick smoke that has some cinnamon spice with some dirtiness that I can only attribute to earthy flavors. Interweaving also are some sweet notes of malt or burnt sugar notes. There doesn’t seem to be a large amount of evolution of the cigar throughout the smoke but it remains enjoyable. The strength seems to smooth out as well, acting more medium+ than full bodied.

    Closer to the last 2 inches of the smoke, the 518 picks up a little strength that was present in the beginning of the cigar as well as that mouth drying characteristic. But the dryness fortunately didn’t last that long and some full bodied, peppery, and molasses like flavors came to the fray and finished off the cigar.

    Value : [rating:3/5]
    Although the Inception is a decent cigar, almost $8 puts it into some of the strongest competition in the cigar world. It would be a hard pull out of the humidor for me, personally, considering the price point and the competitors, but there may be many that would go for this stick and its flavor profile. It will be interesting to see who takes a chance on these cigars and how well they do in B&M’s. I’m sure our local Texas connections would always be very supportive of homegrown business.

    Overall Rating : [rating:3.5/5]
    The cigar delivers a solid performance for a new introduction into the cigar market. Will it survive the competition is the biggest question. Nothing is totally unique about this product, but familiarity may be its strong suit. If you like medium+ cigars with some spiciness and some slight sweetness then this may well be worth trying for many. If I see them in my local B&M, it will always be taunting me along with a few others in the same price range.

    Helpful?
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    • Matthew Emery Long

      Delicious entry level cigar. The cinnamon turns to a charmed cassia with a bohemian flair. Turns up with a Fine single barrel bourbon or a VDP Riesling Auslesen. Execellent entry level balence and billowing puff through the intitial Igintition of coal. Who really even takes a smoke to the roach? Levity and wealth of flavora embodies the 518, you’ll draw and feel the radiance of enjoyment and levity of luxury with this bandstand smoke. Worthy 8.4/10

    • Inception Cigars

      Would love for you guys to revisit this cigar! We have made a lot of developments and out cigars only get better with age/shelf life! Thanks for the review!

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