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Fratello "Bianco III"

Dapper Cigar Co. "El Borracho Natural"

Initial Smoke 

A mixture of mineral and herbal notes starts the first level off on a playful foot, as spicier, darker retrohales tell the senses that there is some mid-grade power to this smoke. Dark rum-soaked raisins and that hardwood-heavy tannin taste take to the tongue before too long, turning the blend in a different direction even before the first third is reached. Boozy, with a bit of earth and mocha on the finish, I continue to find the first five minutes of this cigar to be near perfection every time. 

1st Half 

This plank of a cigar sure does love to hit you over the head with some hardwood flavors in the first third, and with a stronger mocha finish unfolding underneath, I find myself hitting pause for a moment so that I can reevaluate what I am detecting. Roasted cashews and sweet cedar have made retrohales even more memorable, and with the body of the blend lightening up, the cigar maintains a medium balance between complex and crisp.

As the second third heats up, the Spanish cedar shifts from the retrohale to the tongue, and in the process grows resinous in flavor and texture. Still somewhat boozy thanks to the resurrection of those rum raisin flavors, the whole cigar flavor profile transforms into a sweet and satisfying middle-ground smoking experience. By now, retrohales have become far earthier and round, and are not a bit spicy, which allows you room to focus on smells and tastes more than intensity and heat.

2nd Half

With the finish lightening up, hints of hazelnut and coffee creamer come out, which eventually evolve into a chewy, sweet nougat taste. Malted milk and nutmeg are both in abundance, especially when retrohaled, and there is a slight tease of spiciness that warms the palate and nose. 

The cigar is still very oak-heavy, though, and when combined with toasted bread crust that borders on being burnt, this forms a dryness that keeps the blend from going too sweet or strong. Further into the final third, these flavors and textures become even more prominent, and with them comes a finish that is filled with bright herbal touches and a chewier smoke texture.

Parting Puffs

Still as smooth as a cigar can be, the last section of this box-pressed smoke sends out a fermented dark fruit funkiness that is balanced by a dark coffee roast flavor. Creamier in texture and a touch spicier, the enjoyment pulled from this final section of the cigar is a high point that manages to retain that medium status that is advertised.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Although my sample stick did require a decent-sized correction midway, this review cigar combusted cleanly and required zero attention. The draw remained medium in flow due to the shape of the shoulder and head, and the body of the smoke stayed somewhere near medium the entire time. If there was one concern, it was the need to ash regularly in order to prevent tunneling, which likely stems from the unique shape of the cigar.

Final Thoughts

Akin to attempting to beat a classic video game like Earthworm Jim (which was insanely difficult by the way), breaking this blend down to its basic components is a tall task to undertake. Not only is there a whole lot going on aesthetically and physically, but the ride that this blend takes you on once lit is pretty far-flung.

There's also a little bit of intrigue with this one. Those rum-soaked raisin notes really do make me wonder if Esteban Carreras took the liberty of stuffing some leaf inside Flor de Caña casks, like it did with the utterly astounding Unforsaken blend we reviewed a few years back. Hell, even if they didn't, those tasting notes alone make this blend worth visiting when the mood strikes.

I don't give a fig if the damn thing sits flat on the tongue. In fact, I found the wafer-thin vitola to be quite comfortable clenched between my teeth once my mouth became accustomed to its oblong ½″ thick by ¾″ across dimensions. Sure, the permanent marker scents were a bit off-putting, and the need to ash prematurely to prevent tunneling was a consistent thought, but these are small enchiladas in comparison to the big picture.

Having a blend that sits in the neutral area between maduro and natural San Andrés cigar flavor profiles is always a treat to me, and that is one of the main reasons why this blend delivers. A lighter bodied, yet medium-full flavored jetpack of a cigar with a surprisingly lengthy finish and just enough twists along the way to keep you guessing. Try one for yourself, and you will see why the cows agree that this Esteban Carreras blend is "Well done..."

Overall Balance & Repeatability