The Andalusian Bull by La Flor Dominicana
So the last time I smoked the Bull, I was disappointed by it. A very tight draw and poor construction plagued a stick that was a decently enjoyable blend, albeit boring at times, resulting in my feeling it didn't live up to the hype or cost premium. At the time, paying $30 for a cigar was a new high and seemed excessive. Or more accurately, OH HELL NO.
A lot has changed in the past 4 months as I've experienced many more cigars in the higher price range than I thought I would and that has helped normalize my expectations at this price point. The Fuentes, Padróns, the very limited edition releases and exposure to more high quality boutiques has helped.
The good is while the draw was still on the tight side, it wasn't prohibitively so. Also this one didn't suffer the burn issues of the first. It was wavy and flaky, making a mess, but it burned evenly and held the ash. The disappointment is that while the flavors were slightly better, this is still a pretty weakly flavored blend for the money. This one didn't get bland like my first, but it never really got past whispering sweet nothings. I was really on the fence between Good and Great for the flavor, and maybe I was feeling less critical, or generous because of the better burn. I opted for Great albeit a soft Great because it was better than the Good of last time. Still, at $30+ I want something that will make me feel feelings, find Jesus, blow my mind, or my load! And the Andalusian Bull just doesn't do that.
So I still really don't get the hype. $18 to $20, sure thing. But $30 and up? Meh... And it's a shame because it's not a bad blend at all, it's just not enough. It's an appetizer, not the full meal. It's a stripper who pinches your nipples and leaves you with a hardon... You get the point.
So the first time:
APPEARANCE & CONSTRUCTION: Good
DRAW & BURN: Average / Average
FLAVOR PROFILE: Good
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: Good
And this time:
APPEARANCE & CONSTRUCTION: Good
DRAW & BURN: Average / Good
FLAVOR PROFILE: Great
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: Great
Purchase Singles or by the Box HERE
Review Written by Sean McCloskey of The Collective