Purchased one of these apparent B&M distributed cigars at A Little Taste of Cuba in New Hope, PA. With cigars in describing taste, people write about pepper and spice a lot; I do. I try to aptly note which of these two descriptive’s are correct with the cigar I’m enjoying. With the Artisan’s Passion, it’s definitely spice.

Each puff draws in very smooth and cool with an immediate but faint bitter tang on the front of the tongue. Once in the mouth, the smoky taste coats a cool laether in the mouth, dissolving into a subtle spice all the way back to the throat. A light citrusy bitterness dashes on the tongue. The aftertaste, along with the spice, faintly brings out a fruity taste. Retrohaling or holding in the smoke cooks it to a warmness that tastes like a smoked pear. Not smoked wood or meat, a smoked pear. This also brings out more of the spice, but never too much of it. Exhaling through the nose will tingle it with more of the spice and a warmness. The aftertaste from this is also lightly tangy.

The aroma is just excellent, carrying a well balanced and evolving complexity although the smoke itself is a bit hot to the nose. A fruity and citrusy sweetness is carried by a milky smooth sweetness embellished in a very distinct, herbal tobacco quality. Layers of cocoa powder, chocolate, peppermint (or perhaps, dare I saw it, Menthol?) are found. At idle, it warms up with more of a rich chocolate & earthiness, and a much richer, deeper tobacco. Occasionally in the first 3rd, there’s notes of pepper, but this backs off considerably as the cigar progresses.

I also like the wrapper’s appearance; it’s a bit dark but the texture of the leaf is appealing to me. Not once did I have any burn issues or such with this cigar. Very smooth yet rich with a lot to offer as medium bodied cigar. The Artisan’s Passion is quite unique and highly enjoyable. I want more.