CA Review Panel: Asylum 867 Midnight Oil

Video: Asylum 867—full Cigar Advisor panel review.

Asylum 867 Backstory

A pillar of South Dakota’s cigar scene, Wild Bill Rectenwald of Deadwood Tobacco Co. has helped reshape the industry with a unique approach to infused blends. That’s why Deadwood’s latest collaboration on Asylum 867 is a perfect match. Asylum’s Tom Lazuka has had his fair share of trendsetting, helping catapult large-format cigars from novelty to norm. Together, the two companies are combining what they do best to break new ground.

“When Tom first came to me with this idea, I thought it was crazy enough to be an Asylum project,” said Asylum cofounder, Christian Eiroa.“ In the end, Wild Bill and his team have brought to the table a blend that introduces a new dimension for the Asylum brand.”

That all sounds fine and dandy, but we’re here for the brass tacks. Let’s see how 867 takes to a flame!

Cigar Details:

Factory: C.L.E. Cigar Factory, Danli, Honduras
Sizes Reviewed: 6” x 54 Midnight Oil
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Honduras Proprietary
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras

Construction: Slightly oily wrapper; firm, smooth, seamless roll. The draw was just right.
Cold Draw: Sweet tea, generic sweetness.
Base flavors: Sweetness, tea, peach, spice.
Aroma: Pipe tobacco.
Burn & Ash: Just about perfect. Held a dense ash.

Presented in boxes of 20

Asylum 867 Cigar Reviews

John’s Tasting Notes…

Summary: First impression is fruity, once the taste of the sweetened cap is introduced – actually, “peach-y” – as in, peach tea. I didn’t find the sweet tip overpowering at all, but it does make it hard to get a read on the tobacco flavors since it lingers so long. Aroma is pleasant and mellow, with more of that tea profile showing up. After a while, the more traditional flavors like wood and nuts try to poke through along with some spice - these are Honduran tobaccos, after all.

The smoke is creamy, although the steeped flavoring can dry the palate to some degree. Overall the Midnight Oil is mellow to medium bod and strength, although the sweetness from the cap has exceptional staying power.

In my opinion, a flavored cigar like this is less about complexity and more about locking in on that sweet spot of the flavors combined to infuse the cigar. And some of them can be really overpowering. But the Asylum 867 is different: it’s not strong, but it does have some body. It’s got flavor, but it’s not obnoxious. It’s got a sweet tip, but it isn’t overly done. If you find an ACID cigar “too much” or other flavored cigars too “fake” tasting – then this Asylum 867 Midnight Oil is definitely for you.

Gary’s Tasting Notes…

Summary: The Midnight Oil 867 The 54 began mellow and creamy as the cap provided a fair amount of sweetness. Flavors of buttercream, vanilla, and caramel quickly began to form the flavor profile. Even the aroma produced a trace of vanilla. Shortly after that, the cigar started to reveal an even burn. The smoke was thicker and creamier. Buttercream, vanilla, and caramel held fast. By the cigar’s midsection, the body was creeping toward medium. The strength remained mellow. At times, I picked up hints of tea. Since I like an occasional coffee-infused cigar, I’m used to the sweetened caps. This particular sweetener was also better than most, too—no artificial taste. My Toro performed well, but the body and prevailing flavors never changed.

One thing is clear about the Midnight Oil 867: it’s aimed mainly at smokers drawn to infused cigars. Tatiana Dulce and CAOflavours, for example. Even more so, fans of Drew Estate’s Deadwood Tobacco Co. line. Like the latter brand, the Midnight Oil 867 selection offers bigger sizes than your average infused Corona. It also has higher-quality tobaccos—a big plus. I also think the Midnight Oil 867 is a good match for beginners. In other words, it comes with training wheels that may eventually help steer the newly initiated toward more traditionally blended cigars like . . . Asylum

Paul’s Tasting Notes…

Summary: Once lit, the Asylum Midnight Oil 867 reveals sweetness and hints of tea. Then, almost immediately, a mix of some pepper and earthy flavors rise up to balance the aromatic qualities of the smoke. The blend is not necessarily infused—but rather steeped. Which likely put the notion of tea into my noggin—but nonetheless the flavor is there.

As you keep going, the blend gets more interesting. About halfway through, the sweetness becomes stronger, but it doesn't overpower the natural tobacco flavors. Hints of leather and toasted wood walk stride for stride and provide enough to keep a cigar smoking traditionalist interested.

While remaining mellow through and through, the Asylum finishes off with some rich, dark fruit flavors, and the spiciness increases ever-so-slightly—giving a nice kick at the end.

Overall, the Midnight Oil 867 is well-crafted, flavorful, and offers an intriguing twist on Asylum's usual offerings. Some purists might be put off because of previous experiences with lesser quality, non-traditional blends, but the Midnight Oil 867 is worth a try due to its ability to straddle the line between conventional and aromatic.