My first experiences with a Nub sampler was at the early stages of my cigar reboot, and I didn’t walk away with fond memories of them, even with my favorite of the batch, the Sumatra version. Mostly because the damn things burned and fell apart badly.

Well, I got two more in a recent Cigars.com sampler, this one being a Double Maduro from Studio Tobac (one of Oliva’s side projects). And I’m quite enjoying it.

The first thin you get is a nice tanginess from tonguing the end of it. Inhaling, it’s a smoky wood texture and taste that covers the mouth while an intial espresso or mocha flavor dominates. The aftertaste is a mix of salt and bitterness in the back of the tongue, and a sweetness around the mouth. It’s smooth with only the slightest hint of pepper. Retrohaling brings out more smoky wood tastes and a slight bump in the pepper department (mostly noticeable going through the nose).

The aroma is highly enjoyable with a lush, rich sweetness that’s smooth when inhaled and sampled from a bit of a distance, as this cigar does burn hot. A distinct caramel and underlayer of chocolate is obvious, but some other layers buried beneath are a light citrus and some herbal tobacco note.

I really enjoyed this Double Maduro cigar from Studio Tobac, it’s quite smooth and sweet with a profoundly enjoyable aroma that’s just great on a late summer day (as it felt the day I enjoyed it). I also think my cigar skills have increased; this one burned clean, didn’t unravel or do something stupid. For $75 a box of 10, I may just get some more!