MARCH 6, 2022 - PHIL KURUT, COMEDY - CIGARS - MUSIC
ROOM101 NAMAKUBI RANFLA (5 1/2 x 50)
WRAPPER: ECUADORIAN HABANO
BINDER: HONDURAS
FILLER: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, HONDURAS
After releasing the purple sheath from the grasp of sacred Japanese Scotch tape, I find legendary white tissue paper sheltering its inhabitant from the world’s evils. Removing the tissue paper, I find a cigar. Nice bands.
Earth, wood, and the slightest hint of maple syrup bring forth the Namakubi’s first strike to my palate. That sounds dramatic.
Bits of dirt and earth, followed by nothingness on the retrohale.
A touch of sweetness and watered down coffee quietly occupy space on the finish.
The draw and smoke output stand on equal footing at “good”.
Intermingling wood, fruit, coffee, and graphite move around the palate.
Tartness flows through the nostrils with a bit of that graphite harshness.
Coffee and graphite linger, while it appears spice wants to peek through a bit more but speaks rather quietly. Mumbling?
Nice burn line, and the ash shows great strength. Brave and beautiful.
Cinnamon flows in from the rafters like Captain Jack Sparrow, but less Johnny Depp. Is it just me, or did Captain Jack Sparrow star in every movie Johnny Depp did after Pirates of the Caribbean?
Maple syrup regains its post at the wheel. Sorry, Jesus. Wood and graphite hold steady. Fruit sneaks in from time to time. Juicy.
Wood, graphite, spice, and sweetness complete the room note.
The finish begins to open with a bit of harshness, which settles into smooth sweetened coffee. Not creamy sweetness, just sweet.
Flowing through, leather takes the lead but still gives way to its predecessors. Actually, leather is in a tag team match with wood, each taking its turn in the spotlight.
The Road Warriors were the best tag team in wrestling. I would tag (no pun intended - missed opportunity) that with something like “TRUTH” or “FACT”, but I’ll pass.
Spice picks things up a little on the finish.
The draw and smoke output move from “good” to “excellent”.
Maple syrup reclaims its throne at the wheel. Sorry again, Jesus. Coffee and earth join but sit in the back seat.
Taking its ball and moving to the finish, leather pushes around sweet coffee a bit, but it tires quickly, leaving me with sweet coffee and spice. Coffee has darkened up just a tad.
I think I just tasted some Oreo cookie. Yes, I did.
I can’t help but feel the Namakubi wanted to say more, much like in the movies when the ghost tries to tell people something really important but he just isn’t speaking quite as clearly as they would like and the seance ends prematurely. Without fail, the medium is always exhausted. More cardio.
Speaking of seances, don’t they seem like the equivalent of calling someone with a work question while he is on vacation? I just imagine the ghost rolling his eyes and saying to himself, “Really?!”
Speaking of ghosts, hot take on Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Thanks for the nostalgia. Please don’t make a sequel.
SMOKE TIME: 1 hr. 29 mins.
RATING: 3 / 4 - Sorry, Jesus.
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