Country of origin: Nicaragua
Color: Colorado Maduro
Length: 5"
Ring gauge: 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan Criollo (Estelí)
Filler: Nicaraguan Criollo (Jalapa Valley)
About a month ago, Smokeasy® posted the review of the Hammer + Sickle Tradicion Serie Robusto, after receiving samples from our friends at Klin Tobacco. One of the samples from the Hammer + Sickle portfolio included the Hermitage No. 1 Robusto. While I did not enjoy the smoke as much as the Tradicion Serie, it was still quite enjoyable. With a Nicaraguan binder of 100% ligero and filler of ligero, seco, and viso, I had expectations of a fuller bodied powerhouse.
Launched in July 2012, the Hermitage No. 1 is a nice looking box-pressed, double-capped robusto. The colorado maduro wrapper has minimal veins and visible seams - smooth, but not oily. There is virtually no aroma from the wrapper; however, there is a rather earthy aroma emanating from the foot. Cold draw is moderate in terms of ease, but provides an earthy, and somewhat sweet, flavor. The cigar lights easily and burns relatively evenly with good ash production.
This medium-bodied smoke starts with a nice earthiness with some coffee notes and light pepper tingle on the palate. Retrohale is earthy, but provides a floral element to the flavor with no pepper. The second third of the smoke through the finish remained earthy and the smooth floral notes become much more evident. The mild peppered tinge is unchanged and coats the tongue throughout the remainder of the smoke - retrohale is essentially unchanged as well. Though lacking complexity and depth of flavor, the earthiness of the smoke is still quite enjoyable, and this is definitely a good cigar. Sometimes I don't mind smoking a cigar that is very straightforward in terms of its flavor dimensions.