Bauza Pyramid

Originally an exclusively Cuban brand, Bauza was first rolled in 1868. Echoes of pre-revolution Havana are still to be found on Bauza boxes today, however, the smokes themselves are in fact hand rolled by the Arturo Fuente factory in the Dominican Republic. Introduced in 1980, the Bauza line is very highly rated, consistently in the upper 80's to low 90's in Cigar Aficionado. The Pyramid featured this month received a 4.2 "Excellent" rating from Smoke Magazine in the December 1998 issue and recently was given the highest rating for the brand by CA at a 92! We really love this cigar. It's rolled with Dominican and Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos, a rich Mexican binder and oily Cameroon wrapper. Its rich character delivers a pleasant, mild to medium-bodied smoking experience. The cigars are well put together by hand, but you might want to note that the Presidente is actually produced with short filler tobacco and not to be compared to the rest. The line is available in nine sizes, eight of which are packaged in elegant wooden cedar boxes.

Immediately note an extremely well constructed cigar that is aesthetically, a beautiful thing to behold. It's not so bad to just hold either, packed generously with well-fermented tobacco. We found it medium-bodied and offering a complex flavor profile consisting of a heady sweetness and distinct woody and spicy tones. You should pick up a definite sweetness on the lips and tongue. The aftertaste hints to coco bean and more spice. Overall, we loved this smoke. It burns well and tastes great! Try pairing it up with a roasted Irish Stout like Murphys or Guinness.