Chateau Real Gran Templar

Score: 9.0

A really beautiful-looking cigar. I liked the stoutness of its 52 ring and the firmness of the packing which gives the cigar a nice heft. Feels like you've really got something solid in your hands. The color of the Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper was even in tone throughout; non-veiny, nice and silky with a sweet aroma. The cigar is well-packed with a blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican long-filler tobaccos bound in a dark, San Andrean Negro Oscuro leaf. The cap popped-off in a perfect circle, exposing almost the entire head of the cigar. Once lit, the cigar drew and lit well expelling a thick cloud of mild, sweet, and creamy smoke.

The first ash dropped-off off at the 1-inch mark leaving behind a perfectly-formed cone. The flavor at this point was a mix of toasty-woody-nutty flavors with a little more earthiness, sweetness and a nuance of hazelnut. (This cigar was also a little more complex than I suspected.)

By the end of the first third, I was really enjoying this cigar. The ash was semi-firm, the burn even-Steven, and by the midpoint the flavor had broadened into a rich-tasting and exquisitely smooth, mild smoke with an appealingly sweet woodiness on a short, clean finish. I smoked it in the morning with coffee, and the combination of flavors and aromas was perfect.

Speaking as a mostly "medium-bodied" smoker, if the intent by the Drew crew was to create a "mild" cigar, I found it right in the pocket; maybe even closer to medium-bodied as the cigar neared the end. All in all, I think this series shows great potential for the mainstream cigar smoker market.

Appearance: 9
Construction: 9
Burn: 9
Draw: 9
Aroma: 9
Flavor: 9
Final Score: 9.0