Cigar Name: CAO America Monument Torpedo (6 1/4 x 54)

Cigar Description: Connecticut Shade and Broadleaf Maduro around filler from Dominican, Nicaragua, Italy and USA

Cigar Strength: Full

Review of the Cigar itself: After getting back from Baltimore, my humidor is even fuller than before. It is definitely time to step up with more reviews and free up some space so I can enjoy more and.. Hrmm.. Sounds rather like a cyclical thing, eh? Ah, the things one must do to help the economy. The Monument was the last of the barbershopped dark with light stripes cigars from the Fourth of July Sampler. The cigar itself had a sweet smell that highlighted the cool, wet weather we’ve been experiencing in NYC of late. I could almost see the leaves change before my eyes as the aromas of the unlit cigar’s tobacco filled my senses. The cigar’s construction was good and nearly flawless with few, if any, veins. The wrappers were obviously done with enough care that I could barely make out where the maduro started and the shade ended. It was a seamless layering of colours.

The actual tobacco is packed densely within the cigar, giving it a solid feel. The maduro wrapper in particular had a nice oily sheen on it. I easily slipped off the band at the foot of the cigar and cut the pointed end at the head. The light was easy and the draw creamy. I almost wanted to say it was “meaty” in flavour but it wasn’t quite that. It definitely had a nice flavour of mixed spices to it. A good stout would be a nice thing to pair with the cigar. Although the flavour didn’t change much — occasional twinge of nut and wood flavours — it was nice and enjoyable.

The burn at the start was a bit uneven but it did eventually even out as time went on. The overall smoke at times was a bit voluminous but it wasn’t anything bad. The white smoke produced a nice, spicy and creamy scent. As I sat back and watched the rain “pour” sideways,  I carefully tugged the band off and ponder what makes the US great. My experience last week in Baltimore highlights it: it’s the people. All countries have monuments, museums and historical buildings but it really is the people and how they interact with those from outside that make the difference.  Monument is defined as “a structure intended to commemorate something which either needs no commemoration or cannot be commemorated.” To me, this cigar commemorates the average American who is often forgotten in the wild activities of celebrates, politics and the like. It is that Average American who made up this at the first 4th of July and continues to make it something special for him/herself and their family.

Enjoyed with: water

Smoke time: approximately 110 minutes

Final Review Rating: 8.6/10

Monument Factoid: There are 3 “Monuments” in the US: one is in Colorado, one in Pennsylvania and one in Oregon.