Like last year’s Quartro, the Solera came in its own coffin and looks just as good. A nice firm bunch and a silky smooth wrapper speak to the quality of construction. Heavy cocoa notes from the wrapper and foot with leather from the perfect cold draw. Paired with a Stone Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, I may approach cocoa overload.

Initial draw is full of smooth leather notes with a hint of cocoa in the background. The beer is everything it claims to be; bitter chocolate and very stout.

A nice full mouth of smoke from every draw belies how slowly the cigar is burning; and the ash is very firm and the burn is very clean.

The Solera is turning into quite the smoke; light pepper notes in the throat. At 1/3 it’s smoking beautifully although I got overconfident with the ash and ended up with an inch and a half in my lap.

The burn remains very clean and the smoke is very smooth with some pepper remaining but mostly leather and fine tobacco. It’s a very full bodied smoke, so it’s holding up nicely to the stout beer.

At about half, a sweetness is developing, although slight; still, more complex flavors make for a better cigar. By 2/3 it has settled into a very solid smoke. The burn is perfect, the smoke is smooth and the flavors are spot-on.

Down to the last inch the cigar remains a solid cigar with great flavor and complexity. This doesn’t happen often, but I can’t detect any flaws so I am giving it 100. Rafael Nodal does it again. Joe Bob says check it out!