Bahia Blue 500 (Robusto)
Size: 5 x 50
Tobacco: Nicaraguan puro
Price: $6

After 23 months aging in my humidor, I finally got around to smoking this little known brand from Cigars International. Supposedly, they retail for $6 apiece, but I think they are a CI house blend, where they sell for $1.50 each. I have enjoyed five of them over the last three weeks, most of them while reading Letters of C.S. Lewis: Revised and Expanded Edition.

The gloss and color of the cigar wrapper seems to have faded since I first bought them. There is a strong prelight aroma of grass and oats, denoting a probable mild-to-medium flavor.

However, each cigar opened with a surprising burst of black pepper and a strong, pungent taste with a light airy finish. After less than a quarter inch, the flavor mellows into a consistent medium body, while the aftertaste and finish increase slightly, with just a hint of spice and grass.

Not a world-beater by any means, but a good experience at a very nice price point.