Artesano Del Tobaco is known for its powerhouse blend, Viva La Vida. After years of the Viva La Vida being the only blend from them on the market, the cigar world can finally enjoy the sequel - El Pulpo. El Pulpo packs a great flavor profile, with an eye catching presentation and style. In the interview with Billy and Guss of Artesano Del Tobacco, they went with the octopus because the blend wraps its tentacles around your palate, and give the smoker full flavored enjoyment.
The El Pulpo has a great presentation, as hinted at in the introduction. The band and box features a black, red, and gold motif, with a similar style to the Viva La Vida. The main image of the band and the box is an octopus wearing a top hat, hinting at the distinguished and unique flavor profile the cigar provides. The cigar is wrapped in a dark brown wrapper. The wrapper is a little toothy, but is smooth over all with very little veins showing.
The Elp Pulpo is constructed with Nicaraguan Binder and Filler, and is wrapped in a beautiful Mexican San Andreas Wrapper. When lighting the El Pulpo, the initial burn is as straight as an edge. Towards the end of the first third, you may experience an uneven burn, but it evens itself out into the second third. The ash is a light gray/white, and sturdy. At about two inches, the ash falls. The freshly ashed foot does not flake, or have any fly away ashes, so your black shirt is safe. There is a decent amount of smoke with each draw, but not enough to be used for smoke signals.
The flavor profile of the El Pulpo is unmatched. The cold draw features notes of raisins and a subtle nutty flavor. The first third may feature strong notes of black pepper and earth, along with mild notes of cashew and cinnamon. The retrohale on the first third may feature notes of black pepper, dried fruit, and very mild floral notes. Further into the first third, you may taste notes of dried fruit, espresso, and strong notes of oak.
The second third may feature notes of brown sugar, earth, and oak. Subtle notes of dried fruit hit the palate, but won't overpower the earth and brown sugar. Further into the second third, the brown sugar notes go to the back burner, and mild cream, dark chocolate, and cinnamon become more prominent. The retrohale on the second third may feature notes of black pepper, nutmeg, and espresso.
The final third may feature notes of oak, earth, and dark chocolate as the primary notes. These are accompanied with notes of dried fruit, cashew, and espresso. The retrohale on the final third features subtle black pepper, dark chocolate, and cinnamon.
The El Pulpo finishes with strong notes of oak, earth, and dark chocolate, with subtle notes of dried fruit and black pepper.
The El Pulpo is priced decently. A single Toro Grande goes for around $16.00, and a box of ten goes for around $160.00. While they cigar could be priced closer to the $13-$14 range, it's still a competitive price for the flavor profile alone.
Between the flavor profile, construction, presentation, and value, the El Pulpo is definitely a must try for intermediate and veteran cigar smokers. While it may be a little strong for the new guys, it's definitely something to look forward to as your palate matures and expands.
GC Rating: 93
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