My Weekend Cigar: nub Cameroon 460

Back in June of 2008, I blogged about the nub Connecticut 460. Last night, I decided to decided to have a go at the nub Cameroon 460. Cameroon is one of my favorite wrappers for its natural sweetness, and this original Sam Leccia/Oliva creation, with its Nicaraguan filler and binder core, was right in my wheelhouse. One of the other reasons I decided to smoke the nub was, I've been preparing to smoke Sam's latest creation, "Cain," which he introduced in the Oliva Cigars, booth at this past summer's IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans. (I'll get more into why later on.)

Pairing it with what remained of my bottle of Tapeña 2007 Granacha, the cigar lit perfectly and burned clean and firm, despite a small wrapper tear that ran back about a half inch from the foot. The cigar also burned for well over an hour, as advertised, despite its 4-inch length. Due to the solid packing of the tobacco, this didn't surprise me, plus, I let the cigar rest between puffs. With cigars this short, even with a ring as wide as 60, you don't want to pull too hard or too often on it to keep it from turning bitter.

The smoke was extremely creamy and smooth with a solid, sweet-woody base, which didn't deviate until the final third. At that point I began to pick up some light spiciness. Although I prefer a more complex smoke, for what I would call a "one note song," the cigar was highly enjoyable for its consistency.

Now, here's why I wanted to smoke another nub before getting into the Cain cigars. Even though the cigars are completely different in terms of size and blend - the new Cain being a "straight ligero" - I wanted to re-familiarize myself with Sam's work. For example, when you're getting into a new band, it's always a good idea to listen to their first album, which is most often the band's "definitive" sound.

Based on the reports I've read and heard from others who have already smoked Cain, it's apparent that Mr. Leccia, like the best musical artists (those who have stood the test of time), has the ability to reinvent himself.

If you haven't had a chance to smoke any of the nubs by now, you should at least try a couple. There's also a really good selection of nub samplers called nub Club if you want to give the whole line a test drive.

So, this weekend I'm looking forward to moving on to Cain, and weather permitting, will report on it next week. In the meantime, I'm certain that nub will eventually become "a classic."

~ Gary Korb