JULY 1, 2021 - PHIL KURUT, COMEDY - CIGARS - MUSIC
FABLE FOURTH PRIME SAPTA GRAN TORO (6 1/4 x 54)
WRAPPER: PENNSYLVANIA BROADLEAF
BINDER: ECUADOR HABANO LIGERO
FILLER: NICARAGUA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
The band. Simple, intriguing, and cool. As far as the wrapper goes, dark with excellent seams. Some rough spots and scars here and there, but it’s not always about the looks.
I’m immediately transported back to my aunt and uncle’s barn from my youth when I smell the foot and wrapper. Loads of sweet hay. Just like their barn smelled. Awesome. There’s also a good amount of raisin, and just a touch of creamy milk chocolate. It’s always at this time that I’m hoping for the smoking to be as good as the sniffing.
Lighting up, the Fourth Prime executes a perfect draw and hefty smoke output. Starts out dark by way of heavy dark earth and a punch of charred meat. Spice hops in as I take a few more puffs, but it’s just here for support as of right now. Nothing overwhelming. Another few puffs in, and some fruit breaks through as the earth lightens up. The charred meat is gone. Dinner must be over.
Earth and salt drop out through the nose, and the finish is leathery and spicy. Not too much of either though. Just right. The leather fades quickly, but the spice holds on through to the next puff. No sleeping on this cigar so far.
The burn line shows no signs of being an issue. Something about this cigar just oozes the persona of quiet and cool. Kind of like me in most social settings…Well, you can drop the “cool”. Fair enough.
I’ve said it before, but I prefer box pressed cigars. The Fourth Prime isn’t a hard box pressed, but it’s in the spirit and realm. Not a ghost reference. And, it’s performing just the way excellent box pressed cigars perform, which is one reason I like them. I also like the hand and mouth feel. Don’t be perverted. Well, technically, you can be. It’s a free country. So, whatever. You know what I mean. Dillweeds.
Right now, the highlights of the Fable Fourth Prime lie in its smoothness and the intensity of the spice dropping right in the sweet spot. I enjoy spice enhancing, not dominating.
The aroma from this cigar brings in an excellent balance of wood, chocolate, and spice.
As I puff through the first third, chocolate, raisin, earth, and spice make for great tour guides. Cinnamon even finds its way on the bus from time to time. And, as I make the final laps here in the first third, barnyard and hay jump in the mix.
The retrohale defines itself with a touch of cinnamon and a big helping of earth. Spice and leather linger on the finish, and if I get my tongue moving across my teeth and palate, I can even detect raisin hiding in the deepest corners. No, I didn’t have Raisin Bran this morning. Credit goes solely to the Fourth Prime.
Just a few steps into the second third a burn touch-up is required. A minor touch-up, so no big deal.
Wood, chocolate, earth, raisin, cinnamon, and butter provide an enjoyable offering of flavors, but they’re a bit muddled together and milder than what the first third brought to the table.
Earth in the retrohale gets darker as the smoke flows through my nose, and it leaves no room for anything else, which is fine. The finish gets a bit harsh with leather and a now nearly silent spice. Barnyard sneaks into the finish right at the end, but it’s brief and fleeting.
The final third finds the burn going a little haywire, but I’ve opted to leave it be for now, as it appears it wants to right its wrongs. It’s a mini redemption story. Hollywood?
Wood and barnyard set the scene as I allow the smoke to move around my yapper. Blowing the smoke out brings some earth to the stage. Always with the stage references. Sorry.
There’s not much to say about the retrohale here. A brief kick of leather.
The finish remains a little harsh with leather and some dark earth resting on the tongue and palate all the way to the next puff, and as the cigar begins to get a little hot and a bit harsher, I put in down.
The Fourth Prime was enjoyable overall, but it tended to slowly bow out the further I proceeded.
SMOKE TIME: 1 hr. 59 mins.
RATING: 2.75 / 4 - A slow but steady end to a good conversation.
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