The Noir Cameroon by Definition Cigars

BRAND / CO:  Definition
CIGAR:  Noir Cameroon [Green Band]
VITOLA:  Robusto Grande - 5.5" x 54
STRENGTH:  Medium
WRAPPER:  African Cameroon, Natural
BINDER:  Nicaragua
FILLER:  Nicaragua
ORIGIN:  Nicaragua, Fabrica de Tabacalera

APPEARANCE & CONSTRUCTION:   Average 
This one is a bit more rustic looking.  While it's a medium, yellowish brown, it has a some discoloration and spotting in areas.  It's on the drier side with faint mottling and no tooth.  It has a nice, soft texture and a firm density to it. Veins are thin and the seams are tight with a clean cap.  Like its Connecticut twin, it has a pigtail and closed foot.

DRAW & BURN:   Average / Average
The draw is a hair tight, but not enough for the PerfecDraw.  The closed foot took a little extra effort to light and the burn starts very wavy.  Not a great start here.  The ash is a very light gray with large spaces between the cracks and is very flaky.  By the end of the first third it's still very wavy and starting to get more uneven. 

Unfortunately, just before the midpoint one side stops burning so it requires a correction.  Even after the correction, it still struggled to keep things even and started developing cracks in the wrapper at a couple points in the final third.   Fortunately, they don't affect the burn any worse than it already is.  To be honest, splits are to be expected with the fragility of good Cameroon leaf so no surprises there.

FLAVOR PROFILE:   Excellent 
It starts with medium nuttiness, strong baking spice and cinnamon, medium cedar and baking cocoa all jump out immediately with pepper but far behind.  I'm getting both honey and citrus zest for the sweet and saltiness on the lips.  It's starting off with that same cinnamon graham cracker breadiness of the Connecticut, but with walnut and cocoa flavors.  It's got a very nice creaminess on the finish tm and is starting off pretty smooth even with the pepper and spice.

By the second third and through the third, no real changes, just blissful harmony.  This is bringing those extra flavors the Noir Connecticut was packing and it's just jamming all the way to flavor town.  Rich, robust, the baking spice and citrus sweet are delightful over the cedar and bready notes.  But there's just the right amount of baking cocoa and pepper to balance it all out.  There's bits of musty earth and coffee, but they just make everything better when they appear.  Mexican hot chocolate and nutty graham crackers? Yes please!

OVERALL EXPERIENCE:   Great
Burn issues and nitpicky details aside, this is a fantastic blend.  Creamy, well balanced and a ton of robust flavor for a medium strength cigar.  No harshness or bitterness at all.  I'm curious to see if my other example burns better, but the blend is absolutely good enough to outweigh those drawbacks if it does.  If it had the better construction and burn of the Noir Connecticut this would've gotten a top score. 

I haven't smoked a ton of Cameroon cigars so don't throw out your Fuentes to make room for this, but this is a banger of a cigar! Cameroon FTW! 🇨🇲

Purchase Singles or by the Box HERE

Reviewed by Sean McCloskey of The Collective