Diesel Esteli Puro

I thought I'd smoke a cigar we are celebrating all month long here at Tallchief Cigars for my second entry here on Cigar Ledger, and today's selection is the Diesel Esteli Puro. 

Here at my shop, each and every month we choose a brand or a brand portfolio to celebrate with our customers, and we do this in the form of Buy 3, Get 1 Free deals all month long. October 2022 features the Forged brand of cigars, a portfolio that falls under the General Cigar Company umbrella. 

Forged was founded in late 2020 as an extension of the General Cigar Company brand as a way to support brick and mortar cigar retailers like us with special deals, prices and cigar lines in the Partagas, Diesel, Chillin' Moose, Bolivar, El Rey del Mundo and La Gloria Cubana cigar lines. Our customers have really liked engaging with such a diverse and flavorful portfolio of cigars, and my staff and I have also enjoyed exploring some brands and blends that we would not otherwise think of trying (we have over 800 individual cigars in our store, so getting around and trying new things is a little tough at times.) The Diesel line of cigars in particular is a heralded line in cigars, and why wouldn't it be? With master blender and tobacco legend A.J. Fernandez at the helm of development for the Diesel blends, Diesel cigars are an excellent way to experience a well-constructed, full body cigar at a very competitive price.

I thought it would be a great time to try another Diesel cigar, and instead of going for the newly released Sunday Gravy Porcellino (a candidate for review coming soon?) I decided to go for an old Diesel favorite: the Diesel Esteli Puro. This cigar is a very good example of what a full-bodied Nicaraguan cigar should be, and while I'll delve into the experience as we go forward, I can preface this review by saying that the Esteli Puro is a great balance of flavor, strength, intensity and complexity. The price point of this one is going to be very agreeable for a lot of smokers, coming in at around 7 dollars a stick, and with that price comes a surprisingly strong smokig experience with some really nice and loud flavor notes.

 

Cigar: Diesel Esteli Puro
Size: Toro (6 x 54)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Full

This smoke starts off like a rocket, with the first draw bringing a ton of black pepper and spice. Sometimes I can be a little sensitive to what I call 'obnoxious' first pulls, as if the blender is trying to prove a point with their cigar, but I'd certainly stop short of characterizing this cigar that way. I actuallyenjoyed the first few pulls of this one, and while they were quite strong and peppery, they also had some underlying earthiness with some leather that I tend to enjoy from my cigars. It wasn't the punch in the mouth that I would characterize a lot of cigars to have, but rather a good introduction into exactly what the smoker is going to experience when getting deeper into this one.

The first third of the Esteli Puro follows closely behind the first few pulls it presents: lots of pepper, earth and a hint of leather. I'd classify the strength of this cigar in the 'very full' realm, and it is certainly one of the stronger cigars I've had recently. I loved how rich and thick the first few pulls of smoke were, and with some pretty legible flavor notes from the very beginning, I knew I was in for a stick I'd really enjoy.

Into the second third of the cigar is where I believe this cigar truly shines. The Esteli Puro really levels out in terms of strength and intensity, and while it remains consistent, by now you're used to the punch this cigar packs. The burn has been very sharp so far, with not a singl touch up required. Draw has remained consistent and plentiful, with the same flavor notes and some dark espresso coffee mixing in. This cigar is a master class in some of the flavor notes you'll probably come to grasp when sampling full-body cigars, and while it doesn't have any of those lighter elements that novice smokers will likely be searching for, it's the perfect experience for those who have grown accustomed to smoking fuller Nicaraguan smokes. The second third is a medley of pepper, earth, coffee and leather in that order, in varying quantities for sure. Each note is nicely represented at an appropriate level, and they will hit you closer to the back of your throat, one of my trademark signs of what I'd define a full body cigar to be.

The finish on this Esteli Puro is reminiscent of what the beginning brought: full power, intensity and punch. There is a little cocoa to the finish of this one, which does mesh well with the coffee, but it's still more of the same. The complexity isn't there in this stick, and there isn't a constantly-evolving flavor profile on this one (which I've found to be pretty common among AJ sticks) but that is no issue when the full presentation of the cigar is a showcase of those classic full ody Nicaraguan flavors. This cigar smoked for about an hour and 45 minutes, which is excellent for a Toro. I was able to set it down and pick it up to resume smoking a few minutes later, and it required no touch ups or relights to enjoy. This cigar is truly a full body Nicaraguan delight, at an agreeable price with much to offer in terms of flavor and body. It's robust, rich and delicious.

This cigar, and others in the Forged portfolio, are Buy 3, Get 1 free in the month of October in store or online at tallchiefcigars.com. Thanks for reading along, and let me know what you think of this one or any Diesel blends.