Curivari Reserva Limitada Cafe Noir 62

Purchased: Box 6.25 X 60 Box-Pressed
Price: $66.00
Store CigarPage.com
Buy Again: Yes, a few times now.
Box Worthy: Yes
Experience Rating: 98

I’ve had this one stewing for 8 months. It’s the second one out of a box I bought in the middle of last year. But to come clean, I bought two boxes and have smoked through the other box. But once I finished that first box, I decided to slow play these simply because I normally go through my Curivari cigars within a few months and I wanted to see what some age will do to them.

Though I aged my remaining Seleccíon Privada Maduro sticks (they now have more than a year of aging), I hadn’t done that with any others. My normal pattern is to let them acclimate for a week, then start smoking them. I know it seems a little strange to not wait, but I’ve found that Curivari cigars are much like Padron. They come ready to smoke.

As far as this particular stick is concerned, I will just say it: This is my favorite vitola of the Cafe Noir line. I’ve had all three. I used to exclusively smoke the 56, but after trying out the 62, it’s what I’ll buying going forward.

So, what’s so special about this one? Simply put, out of all the vitolas in the line, this one is the most patrician of the bunch. While the other vitolas are certainly tasty, this adds a level of sophistication that the others don’t have. And it does this by adding a hint of background sweetness throughout the smoke.

It’s amazing to me that a single note can transform the experience of a cigar. But just that little thing takes what I’ve considered to be a great cigar to something phenomenal. That said, let’s talk about particulars.

Like all Curivari cigars, the 62 is constructed beautifully. The wrapper has some veins with barely visible seams. The cigar is packed and hefty as one would expect from a gordo, but the cold draw is very Padron-like, but just a little more snug. What this equates to is lots of smoke production from each puff.

The scent on the wrapper is wonderful, filled with floral notes, almond, a little barnyard, and some sourdough bread.

Lighting up, produces a nice blast of cedar and black pepper, along with some citrus notes. About a half-inch in, an indistinct sweetness arrives and sets the tone for the rest of the smoke.

As I get to the second third, other flavors come to the forefront: fudge brownie, espresso, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and a leathery, earthiness that grounds the profile. This is followed by that indistinct sweetness on the finish. And spice? There’s some black pepper, but the expected red pepper is very subdued, allowing the other flavors to be showcased. These are presented through complexity rather than all at once. It’s a beautiful dance!

The halfway point is the sweet spot. Strength picks up. The flavors intensify, and the transitions start coming a mile a minute. And this dance lasts throughout the rest of the smoke. But by the last couple of inches, just when I think the cigar has shown all its cards, the sweetness transforms to sweet, dark chocolate. The spice ramps up ever so slightly to brighten up the strength, providing a clean finish. It’s uncanny. Then in the last inch, I get vanilla bean, roasted cashews, and leather.

As far as nicotine is concerned, it’s amazing that with all that is going on with the stick, I haven’t felt any influence from nicotine. The cigar is strong and bold, but it does that with very little nicotine. This has been my experience with every single one of these I’ve smoked thus far. How Curivari did this, I don’t know. But I’m grateful to be able to smoke something so full-flavored without begging for mercy.

Clearly this is a stick that gets then keeps my attention for the entire smoke, which for me has been a 2+ hour event. This morning’s smoke was two hours and twenty minutes.