Hoo baby! Reposado ’96 Habano Salomons are attention grabbing, 7.1” x 58 figurados. These beauties are dark, oily, toothy and down right attractive. Quite frankly, when I first saw these Reposados (knowing that they were going to be sold for only $2), I was floored. This cigar is a thing of beauty, a work of art, and a wallet-friendly crowd pleaser from AJ Fernandez. This Nicaraguan-bred monster is draped in a lovely Habano wrapper and generously filled with an all Cuban-seed long-filler blend from Nicaragua. Dig in! Spark it up and the fireworks erupt. With the first puff, I’m greeted by a truckload of lip-smacking flavory goodness. The draw is slightly tight, not problematic but a tad firm for the first half-inch. Predominant is a well-portioned dose of spice, some sweet mocha notes, and a leathery character. Once you burn through the little nub of a foot into the meaty section, the draw opens up, and like releasing the doves, the flavor changes perceptibly and for the better. The smoke is thick and exceptionally cool. Delivering a balanced array of soft, soothing flavors, this Habano-wrapped beaut quickly calms the troubled soul. With each passing inch, the flavors intensify. Exhibiting an earthy sweetness nicely offset by a black pepper spice and complemented by a cornucopia of flavors including cream, coffee and cinnamon, Reposado ’96 Habano offers ample complexity.

Medium to full in body, when you spark one of these you’re in for a serene, mind-easing 90-minute experience. Smooth and interesting for the entire 7” of this gloriously proportioned figurado, at a paltry 2 bucks this stick is a complete and utter no-brainer. In conclusion, you don’t have to go home – you’ve just got to go get thyself a fistful of these babies without delay.

I’ll remark on the Reposado Connecticut shortly.