Initial Thoughts
The Acid line is a line that most ‘traditional’ cigar smokers will never cross. At least this seems to be the sentiment that I’ve found in my circles. I’m not exactly sure why though. Personally, I think these ‘traditional’ smokers are afraid they’ll like the Acids too much and never go back. Just my hypothesis though. Seriously though, most smokers turn their nose to this line and I’m not sure if it’s because of the packaging or if they’ve actually had a cigar from this line and they don’t like the experience. Either way I’m here to debunk some of the myths about this Acid line. I’ve had a couple in the past and loved them so I’m hoping the Deep Dish is along those same lines.
There is very little background information regarding these cigars. The Drew Estate website is very hush hush about the entire line. They even say it’s the most closely guarded secret they have. So yeah, we’re not getting much information on these cigars. All they say about this Acid Deep Dish is that it has a Sumatra wrapper. No where else can I find any of the info about the make up of this cigar. I’m not sure if the flavors are infused, or if they use some sort of proprietary technique. I have no clue honestly. What I do know is that it’s time to dive into this review and get it going.
Looks
One reason I chose the Acid Deep Dish is because of the size. It stands at 5 x 58 but it’s a solid box press. Very square looking cigar. It’s interesting structure actually makes it kind of difficult to smoke. The wrapper on this cigar is very pleasing to the eye. Very few veins and most have been flattened out where you can’t feel them. There are a few dark splotches on the band, but for the most part it is a nice consistent dark chocolate. It also has a slight velvety feel to it which I like. It’s kind of unexpected, but that’s nice.
Most people typically notice the band on these Acids first. That’s because they tend to stand out quite a bit. The big bold band is backed with a high gloss and highly reflective almost metallic look to it. The Acid Deep Dish has a dark blue background very similar to the Kuba Kuba that I have reviewed previously. Then there is a smaller black band directly below it that says ‘Deep Dish’. Fairly simple in detail, but definitely highly noticeable, especially if you’re a fan. Some of you may have seen the Acid logo around the shop. It’s a guy with some crazy-a hair leaning on a motorcycle. I’m not exactly sure of the backstory behind that logo, but it’s pretty cool and definitely unique in the cigar world. Well I think we’ve exhausted the aesthetics of this cigar so it’s time to move on.
Function
The head of this cigar is very square, well actually rectangular if you want to be exact. Typically, I like the head / shoulder to be rounded, but this Acid Deep Dish is basically a flat top. It’s going to be hard to get this cigar into my normal capped-back cutter, so instead. I opt to use the punch that I’ve been using lately. In fact I think the cigar punch works best for this cigar anyway. With the flat head using a cutter would probably be a giant mess and tobacco would fall out everywhere. You could try V cut, but it would have to be a very large V cutter to get this 50 RG stick in there.
After I punch a nice hole in the head of this cigar I tested the dry draw. It was perfect just a slight bit of resistance and great air flow coming through the barrel. I quickly got a sense of how this cigar was going to taste as well, but we’ll talk about that later. This cigar has quite a bit of bounce back in the filler as I move up and down the barrel squeezing it to see if there are any soft spots. It appears to be ready to go. So I think it’s time to set some fire to it.
Smoking
I went with the 3 match lighting method again on this Acid Deep Dish. I’ve been using that method a lot lately. Not exactly sure why because I always bring out my Xikar torch too. I guess I’m trying to knock down my huge stash of matches that I get every time I go to the cigar shop. Similar to the issues I had with the MUWAT, this stick had trouble getting going. There was one spot that just didn’t want to light so I had to bust out the torch and straighten it out.
Once I got it lit this cigar was burning perfectly. The first third was fantastic, a great draw, great burn line. Couldn’t ask for better. During the 2nd third the burn line got a little wavy, but nothing that was outrageous. The final third continued much like the 2nd. Slightly wavy, but never veering completely off course. The ash held anywhere from 1/2″ to about 1″. The ash was very toothy as well, similar to a Cameroon wrapper. That was something that I thought was interesting. Usually you can see the tooth in the wrapper before hand, but not on this Acid Deep Dish.
Flavor
Alright, it’s time for the flavors! I know everyone has been reading every single word waiting to get down here and hear about what the hell this cigar tastes like. This cigar has a very sweet aroma and very floral. The initial aroma I get is a pungent Chamomile smell. Yes, I know what this is, because the hand soap that we use in our bathrooms. It’s definitely a synthetic smell, its obviously not natural to the tobacco. It is a nice change of pace though that kind of wakes up your senses.
The cigar is very sweet on the lips during my pre light draw I noticed a similar flavor to cotton candy. However, once I got the smoke rolling through the cigar I picked up on a nice spice in the mouthfeel. Sweetness on the lips and spice in the mouth. Definitely an interesting combination. What I love about these Acid cigars is the fact that they are indeed ‘real’ cigars. If you retrohale them you can pick up the typical flavors you would in a cigar. I was finding this very woody and earthy note on the retrohale that complimented the sweet candied flavor on the lips. It’s actually quite enjoyable. The retrohale wasn’t packed with spice causing my eyes to water. It was a nice full flavored rounded out smoke.
Towards the end the spice started to build and the floral presence also began to build. Especially in the retrohale. It was interesting to see this cigar develop it’s flavors overtime and become more of a fully balanced flavor. Overall, I was very impressed with the flavors of this Acid Deep Dish.
Would I Buy It Again?
I think I would, especially if I need a change of pace.
Is It an Every Day Smoke?
Not for me, the size is just too big.
Would I Buy a Box?
Probably not, for me its a 1 at a time purchase.
Conclusion
For me this Acid Deep Dish is a great escape from the traditional cigar flavors. I wouldn’t smoke one everyday because I would probably get sick of them. However, I do enjoy them occasionally and I have no shame in saying that it’s a great cigar. Definitely not for everyone, but I wish people weren’t so close minded about it. It’s a traditional cigar at heart, but it has a special quality to it and a lot of people just don’t want to experience that. So, if you’re on the fence about it then I’d say give it a try and see what happens.
