Cigar Review: Backwoods Honey Berry

Backwoods

 I went into one of the local tobacconist today asking about these cigars only to find they didn’t carry them, but the proprietor recommended the gas station down the road. Well, I decided to head down the road and checked out the local Sheetz to see if they carried them. Turns out they had a package left, and picked them up to replenish my inventory. While there are several flavors in the Backwoods brand, I find the Honey Berry to be the best. There is no infused cigar on the market that can compete with these babies, and I am debating whether or not to send them to Cigar Aficionado, Attention:  David Savona for review.

Shaggy Foot

The cigars were first introduced in 1981, and were made in the manner of capturing the old Wild West cigars in mind, and that is how the cigars got the name “Wild “N Mild.” We all remember the cigars Clint Eastwood had in The Good The Bad and The Ugly. Packaged in a classic pouch; the only thing that could make it better is if it was Ziploc, so that it could seal in the freshness. The cigars are composed of filler tobacco from the Dominican Republic that has been aging for one whole year prior to rolling, and it draped with a dark Broadleaf wrapper for a finish. They are finished with a shaggy foot, and the cigars are rolled in the Dominican Republic. They fluctuate in length measuring roughly 5” typically, and they are a cigarillo in vitola terms.  After that I imagine the cigars are carefully infused with extracts from the finest berries from the Alps, and the richest honey from China. The cigars come precut, and though the wrapper is moist and veiny, it is very dark in appearance, Maduro in coloring. Besides the fact that when you open the pouch you can get the aroma of the cigars, it has a great aroma on the wrapper of individual cigars as well.

The cigar has a great cold draw, and there are tons of flavors present in the aroma. Obviously I am picking up some lovely honey, berry and damp earth notes, and there is this numbness on my lips after leaving the smoke on my lips too long. After lighting up the cigar I am immediately greeted with those flavors from the aroma. On the retro hale the cigar shows a lovely flavor profile of rich earth, definite honey notes, and of course some rich dark berries. The berry notes are that of raspberries, black and red, and I am also picking up some blackberry notes as well. There are some noticeable stems present in the cigar, but it is not affecting the draw, and it is giving off a nice bit of smoke. In terms of strength, I would say it is mild, and as the cigar packaging says “wild ‘n mild.”

Backwoods

I have been getting a great burn line through the whole first half of the cigar, and I am looking forward to the second half. As I enter the second half of the cigar, I notice that the flavor profile is still that of rich earth, honey and berries, but I am also getting some nice tobacco notes as well. The aging of this cigar has been wonderful to the smoking experience, and though the tobacco has been aged for twelve months, I think the cigars could do well with an additional one week dry boxing so we can get some natural tobacco flavors as well. There are some cinnamon and clove notes as well in the second half, and it is still performing wonderfully. I smoke the cigar down to the nub, and it is still cool and flavorful.

Truly a great cigar, all of these cigars smoke wonderfully from cigar to cigar, and package to package. Besides the fact that these cigars are flavorful and wonderful, they are very wallet friendly and I usually keep several packages around for those times when a great quick smoke is needed. These cigars really go great with a nice Shiraz or Zinfandel, and even a fine bottle of Mad Dog 20/20. I have met no man who has not loved these cigars, and with the flavor profile they are great on a hot summer evening in the South. I give this smoke 100 points. The cigars are constructed wonderfully all the time, the flavors are always consistent, and they are just great in general; a must smoke.    

Backwoods - HoneyBerry