Epic Ten – halfwheel : vimarsana.com

Release Date: Nov. 2020
Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3
The Epic Ten sports a darker, earthier, almost chocolatey brown wrapper, one that I would have never guessed was a Cameroon leaf. Regardless, it is a good-looking cigar with a fairly matte finish and just a bit of oil to be found by the fingers. One thing that stands out on the first cigar is its head; the wraps of tobacco as well as the cap don’t lay quite flat, leading me to wonder if it wasn’t a byproduct of the box pressing. The others are fine, making this one sample the outlier. In terms of firmness, it is spot on for a box press, offering a firm yet pillowy feel front to back and with a bit less give when squeezed side-to-side. I don’t usually smell the wrapper that intently, but since it is a Cameroon leaf I decide to give it a sniff. I get a bit of cool cocoa from the first sample, while the second has a bit more spice and vibrance and third has a nutty smell. The foot is a bit fuller but aromas don’t consistently pop here. The spiciness ranges from very subtle and cool to fairly vibrant; beyond that there is a bit of pepper, and something that has a cocoa or chocolate syrup component, though I can’t quite place it more specifically. Air moves fairly freely on the cold draw and has that same chocolate base but less of the spice and pepper until a few draws elicits a slight tingle on my lips.