Toasting & Light: The cigar didn’t light all that evenly. It may have been a bit too moist, and I didn’t want to kill it before I got started.
First puff: Robust, yet very smooth, with a spicy kick.
Retrohale: Spicy and woody. Left a long tingling in my nose.
Base flavors: I picked up mostly strong woody flavors with some nutmeg and light pepper notes in the mix.
Aroma: A little sharp, but very appealing. One of the finer attributes of this cigar. (It’s important to note that the aroma of Davidoff cigars has always been a very important trait)
Burn / Ash: Burn started out a bit uneven. Dark grey ash, somewhat marbley. Cigar canoed during the first inch. I was tempted to touch it up, but wanted to see if it straightened out on its own. One relight at end of first 3rd. Thankfully, the cigar did even out just into the middle half.
General Observations: According to the Zino Platunum Z-Class sell sheet, this new line has a “Zesty start, cultured finish.” I would agree with the zesty start, though I’m not sure what “cultured finish” is other than marketing speak. That aside, I found the smoke very woody, full-flavored and exceptionally smooth, providing just enough spice on the finish to keep it interesting. The diverse Nicaraguan/Honduran core does a lot for this cigar as does the piquant Peruvian binder. Those elements, plus the gorgeous Yamasa wrapper revealed a well-centered balance.
Summary: I found this Pyramid a little too “one note” for me. Ironically, the finish was more complex than the smoke itself. Maybe that’s what they mean by a “cultured finish.” Personally, I would have liked a little more sweetness in there, but that’s just me; though I would like to try one of the other sizes for comparison. You can tell this is a very fine cigar, and at $9/stick it ought’a be. Suffice it to say, this particular Z-Class frontmark is probably better suited for cigar smokers who prefer robust, peppery tobacco flavor, not for you Machine made smokers that enjoy Swisher or Ducth Master Cigars.
Final Rating: ??½
Rating scale
? = Fair to Midland
?? = Good
??? = Excellent
???? = Outstanding
Executive Editor
Gary Korb has been writing and editing content for CigarAdvisor.com since its debut in 2008. An avid cigar smoker for over 30 years, he has worked on the marketing side of the premium cigar business as a Sr. Copywriter, blogger, and Executive Editor of Cigar Advisor. A graduate of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, prior to his career in the cigar business, Gary worked in the music and video industry as a marketer and a publicist.
Show all Gary Korb's Articles
Reading Time: 3 minutes Looking for a “true Corojo experience” like cigars made during the “Golden Age” of cigars? The Punch Golden Era line alleges it can deliver it. See Gary’s review of the Robusto for the real deal on this Honduran puro.
Reading Time: 4 minutes Earlier this year, as part of their limited edition cigar program, Romeo y Julieta cigars released the Romeo y Julieta Envy Amulet cigar. Watch now as Gary puts this one-off vitola blended with select, extra-long-aged Nicaraguan tobaccos to the test.
Reading Time: 2 minutes C.L.E. Cigar’s Christian Eiroa and Tom Lazuka have announced their most ambitious and lavish cigar line to date – Asylum Sensorium cigars. These Honduran puros also mark the use of first-generation Cuban-seed Piñareno tobaccos. Learn more about them here.
Reading Time: 2 minutes #nowsmoking: it’s our Olor Fuerte cigar review. Click for tasting notes on the cigar that “can be smoked any time of day, [and] pairs well with just about any drink” – delivered in under 2 minutes…
