A short while back Charlie Minato of The Cigar Feed posted a wish list of sorts, and one of the items was a request reviewers let a cigar sit in their personal humidor for 30 days before they review it. An excellent idea except for one thing, when a new cigar is released the race is on amongst bloggers to get it reviewed in a timely fashion. For the most part it is a friendly competition, as there is a camaraderie among many of the sites we read on a regular basis. But as pointed out by Brian Hewitt of Stogie Review, “[I] have noticed significant changes in mere weeks of rest, especially with new sticks.” So I figured my plan is this, when a new cigar is released I will review one vitola right out of the box, and a different size in about 30 days. While this might create a little repetitiveness in the website it should be more fair to everyone involved from manufacturer to retail shop owner, and the consumer.
Cigar: Cain Daytona 646
Size: 6 x 46 (Corona)
Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano
Binder: Nicaragua Habano
Filler: Nicaragua (100% Jalapa Valley)
Strength: Medium
Cigars Smoked For Review: 3
Cain Daytona 646
Appearance and Construction: I really dig the shade of orange used on the band, which is on the foot of the Cain Daytona. I’ve said it before, so I’ll say it again. I think some of the Studio Tobac colors and designs would look sweet as a NASCAR sponsor and I am not a fan of the sport. Once the first few laps pass, and there are no major wrecks I lose interest. I’m not looking for anyone to get hurt, but there are only so many left hand turns you can watch. As for the cigar there are a few veins present some of which run vertical which I don’t see to often. The cigar is rolled well, though the foot seems to be a little bit loose.
Flavor & Notes: The foot of the cigar is a little bit musky to the nose but there is also a slight berry like existence present as well. The draw serves up notes of earth with a classic barnyard edge to it and an underlying sweetness. Once lit there is some spice present and a red pepper through the nose, but it doesn’t wreck you. As I smoke the first third, notes of espresso are dominant and are compliment with some nuts and some caramel sweetness. As we approach the second third the nuts begin to take center stage with some spices and a continued sweetness. The final third has some floral notes especially through the nose. Also present are some caramel and nuts with a slightly earthy finish.
Smoking Characteristics: The Cain Daytona 646 had a perfect draw that produced a nice volume of thick smoke that had a toasty aroma to the nose. The cigar produced a mostly light color ash with some salt & pepper effects to it that held on very well for a corona. The burn was crisp, but the carbon line stood out some, perhaps suggesting the cigars were a little young and could use some more aging.
Conclusion: The Cain Daytona is the perfect answer for those who felt the Cain was too strong and was all about strength, not flavor. This medium bodied smoke has a nice subtle complexity and is extremely smooth. I forsee a box purchase for myself in the near future and it left me anticipating future releases from Studio Tobac.
Rating: 91
Price: $5.00