How do I describe an indescribable cigar?
The word itself, “indescribable” is defined in the dictionary as “too unusual, extreme, or indefinite to be adequately described.” So do I bother? Or do I give it all I’ve got to draw you into this heavenly experience? I wrote notes, of course. “Box pressed. Excellent draw. Spicy introduction. A frappé of flavors. Mellow. Creamy. Elegant bouquet.”
I have been very anxious to try this blend. I’m still in the dark as to what tobaccos are used. It’s made in the Dominican Republic. Factory unknown. I met the woman who is responsible for this delightful experience by sheer coincidence.
As she wrote, I will paraphrase – of all the millions of people I could have met on FB, I meet you. Kinda throws me into the famous scene in “Casablanca” when Rick is alone, bottle next to him, a strained expression on his face when he slams his fist against the table and says, “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” But the meeting between myself and Leidy is one of joy, not melodrama. An auspicious beginning.
I received the samples of the cigar, Reina del Nilo, with the help of an individual who lives in the Dominican and we arranged the drop. A few days later, an envelope was delivered to my address. I opened it immediately when I returned home and was transfixed by its whimsical presentation, especially when I unfastened the latch on the box and was met with a golden bow made of textured ribbon, an introduction card, and a poem. Yes, I said a poem.
Leidy is passionate about cigars, but she is also taken by her sensual desire for words. A match between us, I might add. And she combines them with grace.
I took one cigar out of the five-pack and inspected the stick and was enthralled by its beauty – borrowed perhaps from the woman who created the cigar. I was hoping for the best and I was visually met with the highest of quality. I could not hold my curiosity in any longer. I could not abstain from sharing this moment.
The toasting was our first meeting, and the draw was the sensuous satisfaction of heart-pounding excitement. A fresh, autumnal sprinkling of spectacular flavors – though none distinct, save for the spice, met our passionate embrace. Solid construction. Perfect draw. An even burn. Medium bodied. Nobel? Again I go back to Bogie’s best when at the end of the film he walks on the rain-soaked tarmac saying to Louis, “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
********
Cocoa? The bravery of bitters entered into the sweet, exotic, née erotic experience. To quote Jahausa in “The Medicine Man,” “Ah, a beaut.” Smiles, laughter, wide eyes – a bit of a romantic interlude that is no longer a secret.
The glue is the spice. Subtle umami seasoning is intertwined with those essences I cannot find the words without sounding foolish. Yes, it is difficult to review a cigar with such a rush of minuscule molecular atoms banging against each other to produce this one curious blend.
Indeed, Leidy is delicate, as are her cigars. I have never met her, but I can assure you that I am not far from the truth. She is gracious. Her heart is filled with a special spiritual lilt. As I continued to enjoy this cigar, I cannot but think of her. She has indeed infused her character into the tobacco leaves. A miracle? Or an inevitability? Her prowess I would guess. An occasional drip of a single drop of water from the recent rain, splatters on the concrete, as do the flavors over and over and over again on my palate. I am fortunate to enjoy this tinseled treasure. I do not believe her cigars have yet to arrive in the United States – save for the one smoked by this “American Writer.”
The matte that is produced draws me deeper into the arduous task of giving you, the reader, a tiny taste of this surprising blend. If I have at least brought the Reina del Nilo to your attention, then perhaps my review is complete.
But the only way for you to gain entry into this world of fantastic flavors is to do what I have done. I hope you get that chance. I’ll do what I can to make that possible.
