The Katman Phenom No 3 Cigar Review
See the original article: http://kohnhed.com/2014/04/02/fq-phenom-no-3-cigar-review/
I want to thank Mike from Cigar Hustler for the use of the box photo and the cigars.
FQ is short for Fernandez y Quiroga. The cigar was either released in 2013 or 2014. Shortage of info.
From Cigar Hustler’s web site: “Fernandez y Quiroga’s tradition began in Cuba in the 1940’s, when two families came together and paired Cuban tobacco with Cuban rum in the pursuit of creating quality products which embody class and luxury. “With the rise of Fidel Castro in 1959, the families fled the country, leaving behind their life’s work and their beloved Cuba. Almost fifty years later, Matt Hunt has committed himself to bringing these names back together, and to create something special for people around the world to indulge in. FQ Cigars has created a product that brings forth feelings of class that are immeasurable. “They use only the finest long leaf tobaccos and the finest techniques to bring an unparalleled experience to our customers. The Phenom line is FQ’s inaugural line which introduces the treasures of years past through all Cuban seed grown tobacco. Join the movement and remember that class never goes out of style.”
I love the look of this stick. It is so oily, it looks like it was dunked in 10-40. There is an acceptable amount of veins, both big and small. The cap is a little sloppy and looks like a single. The feel of the wrapper is very sandy to the touch.
The cigar band is simple and classy done in black and gold.
I clip the cap and find aromas of spice, cocoa, espresso, and cedar. Time to light up.
The first puffs are very earthy. It quickly is amped up by red pepper. And then cocoa appears. Followed by dark coffee. The strength starts out a bit stronger than medium.
Creaminess soon follows. The cigar has a nice warmth to it. Sort of a Christmassy feeling of cider and spices.
The tobacco is not evenly distributed in the cigar I am reviewing. It is jam packed in the top half and a little less in the bottom half. No matter. Its only effect is that it is a slow burner. Good.
The draw is very nice and then some sweetness appears. The char line is doing a nice job of behaving itself.
I like this cigar. Besides that Christmassy warmth, there is an upscale gentleman’s club taste to it. Smells of freshly oil rubbed furniture and old leather chairs.
This is not your ordinary, primarily, Nicaraguan blend. A lot of love, care, and passion were injected into this cigar.
The 1” mark sees the cigar become a flavor bomb. Here are the flavors, in order: Spice, Creaminess, cocoa, sweetness, coffee, cedar, leather, and earthiness.
The cigar is now at the beginning of the second third. And then my watermark software goes blooey on me. So I run a System Mechanic scan, including a disc check which takes a good 15 minutes.
This gave me time to just stare out into the back yard and really focus on the cigar. Nothing compares to a totally undistracted time with your cigar. I gave it the type of focus I can’t really get if I type and smoke at the same time.
So while I was gone, I got the expected Nic caramel flavor. On top of that I get cherry pie; crust and all. Buttery smooth. The last third begins and is very nicely blended. It is complex with a perfect balance. A very long finish. And well worth the $7.00 price point. Or the $6.30 box price.
The char line has been a real champ. No loose tobacco at the cap. If this was only a single cap, well…kudos to FQ. And not a single crack in the wrapper. Clearly, Cigar Hustler keeps their cigars perfectly humidified.
Here is the flavor profile: Creaminess, caramel, sweetness, spice, cherry pie, cocoa, coffee, leather, and a deep earthiness. I definitely would like a box of these sticks.
The nice thing about this cigar is that it is blended like the New Breed Tattooed Ones. In other words, ready to go in a very short time. No waiting for months.
The cigar finishes up without a hint of harshness or heat. The strength is still at medium/full bodied. And not a lick of nicotine.
I definitely recommend adding this cigar to your rotation. Thanks again Cigar Hustler.
