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Date of Review: October 14, 2013 Wrapper: Mexico Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Size: Toro, 6" x 52 Strength: Full Reviewer: Stephen Wolfe |
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Last year I had the opportunity to interview Marc Keiser, a.k.a. Marco V. That interview and reviews of almost the entire line of Marco V cigars comprised the Wolfe’s Den throughout the month of October 2012. Since that time the company has been busy. They have added a Jalapa, Nicaragua farm and factory to their Santiago, Dominican Republic operation. This permits greater variety in the company’s offerings. The Crown series of cigars celebrates these changes. The Black Sapphire and the Golden Topaz mark the initial offerings of the Crown series, both coming from the Nicaraguan farm and factory.
The Black Sapphire is an aptly named cigar. The wrapper, from San Andreas, Mexico, is a black maduro leaf, silky smooth and glistening with oils. Construction is seamless. The cigar has a flat, rectangular box press shape. The stick is visually appealing and feels fabulous in the hand. From a purely aesthetic point of view the Black Sapphire is exactly what I want a cigar to be.
The San Andreas leaf is wrapped around top-grade Nicaraguan tobaccos. The binder and most of the filler are from the new farm in Jalapa. The cigar’s strength comes from the Jalapa grown ligero that comprises most of the filler. Viso leaf from Ometepe, Nicaragua rounds out the quality tobaccos in the Black Sapphire.
The aroma at the foot of the black Sapphire is very chocolaty. I don’t think I have ever found a cigar that looked, felt, and smelled so much like a chocolate bar. The cold draw confirms the flavor of semi-sweet chocolate along with a hint of coffee.
The Black Sapphire delivers exactly the flavors promised from the aroma and cold draw. It is a cigar with a delicious flavor profile. There is some subtle complexity. Semi-sweet chocolate is the dominant flavor. Strong espresso notes join in. Those flavors join for a delightful mocha taste midway through the smoking experience. There are also some minor notes of red pepper, roasted hazelnuts, and leather that appear and disappear throughout the course of the Black Sapphire. The finish is long and creamy with mocha flavor.
The Black Sapphire is such a flavorful stick that the power can sneak up on you. This is a powerful cigar, one that should be enjoyed following a nice meal. It is the perfect dessert to a fine dinner of Italian food, as has been the case with my experience. It would also be a fine end to meals of other cuisines.
The Black Sapphire has an excellent draw with a perfect amount of resistance. The cigar produces an amazing amount of sweet smelling smoke. The burn line is razor sharp and the burn rate is great. The cigar burns cool all the way to the nub. And this is a cigar to be nubbed. The ash is white in color and holds firm to more than two inches.
I have appreciated the quality of Marco V cigars since I smoked my first a year and a half ago. The Black Sapphire is the best cigar the company has released. Ask your local tobacconist to get some of these in stock. The Black Sapphire is a world-class cigar.
The Black Sapphire is an aptly named cigar. The wrapper, from San Andreas, Mexico, is a black maduro leaf, silky smooth and glistening with oils. Construction is seamless. The cigar has a flat, rectangular box press shape. The stick is visually appealing and feels fabulous in the hand. From a purely aesthetic point of view the Black Sapphire is exactly what I want a cigar to be.
The San Andreas leaf is wrapped around top-grade Nicaraguan tobaccos. The binder and most of the filler are from the new farm in Jalapa. The cigar’s strength comes from the Jalapa grown ligero that comprises most of the filler. Viso leaf from Ometepe, Nicaragua rounds out the quality tobaccos in the Black Sapphire.
The aroma at the foot of the black Sapphire is very chocolaty. I don’t think I have ever found a cigar that looked, felt, and smelled so much like a chocolate bar. The cold draw confirms the flavor of semi-sweet chocolate along with a hint of coffee.
The Black Sapphire delivers exactly the flavors promised from the aroma and cold draw. It is a cigar with a delicious flavor profile. There is some subtle complexity. Semi-sweet chocolate is the dominant flavor. Strong espresso notes join in. Those flavors join for a delightful mocha taste midway through the smoking experience. There are also some minor notes of red pepper, roasted hazelnuts, and leather that appear and disappear throughout the course of the Black Sapphire. The finish is long and creamy with mocha flavor.
The Black Sapphire is such a flavorful stick that the power can sneak up on you. This is a powerful cigar, one that should be enjoyed following a nice meal. It is the perfect dessert to a fine dinner of Italian food, as has been the case with my experience. It would also be a fine end to meals of other cuisines.
The Black Sapphire has an excellent draw with a perfect amount of resistance. The cigar produces an amazing amount of sweet smelling smoke. The burn line is razor sharp and the burn rate is great. The cigar burns cool all the way to the nub. And this is a cigar to be nubbed. The ash is white in color and holds firm to more than two inches.
I have appreciated the quality of Marco V cigars since I smoked my first a year and a half ago. The Black Sapphire is the best cigar the company has released. Ask your local tobacconist to get some of these in stock. The Black Sapphire is a world-class cigar.
