Blog > Principle Cigars Straphanger Double-Decker Review

Principle Cigars Straphanger Double-Decker Review

Principle Cigars Straphanger Double-Decker Review

Principle Cigars has created some interesting cigars through the years that are centered around interesting concepts, blends, and projects. The Straphanger is no different. It is the first of the Archive Collection, which is a lineup of cigars that utilize vintage materials in the packaging. In this instance, the vintage materials are bus tickets. Specifically Ukrainian bus tickets for this edition of Straphanger. The other thing that I find noteworthy about this cigar is that the filler of this Double-Decker vitola contains tobacco from Zimbabwe, which is completely new to me. 

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Factory: Julian Sued & Compañía

Wrapper: Dominican Monte Plata

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican & Zimbabwe

Vitola: 6 x 46 Corona Gorda

Price: $9.00 MSRP

Link to Purchase: Guitars & Cigars Farm

Release Date: 2022

Company Website: www.principlecigars.com 

Expectations 

I don’t really know what to expect from this blend given the Zimbabwean tobacco, so I’m going off my gut and experience with the brand. I look for full flavors and body with baking spices, earth, bread, citrus, and subtle sweet cream. I also get the impression there will be some leather and dark fruit.

Prelight Characteristics

The wrapper is quite rustic with some veins and mottling. The band is a Ukrainian bus ticket, which is neat, though not necessarily that eye-catching. The cigar is firmly packed and smells of cocoa and bread. The cold draw has some fruitiness and grains.

First Third

First light reveals a lot of thick, full flavored smoke. Right away there is leather, floral notes, a bit of pastry and dates, and a bit of tannic wood into the finish. About an inch in there’s an interesting seltzer like feel on the palate. The flavor profile shows some pepper, a lime-like citrus note, and some leather yet on the finish. The retrohale really amplifies the lime and makes this reminiscent of a canned lime seltzer drink. The end of the first third sees continued perfect performance, and a pretty consistent profile with the intensity of the seltzer dropping off. 

Second Third

The second third is starting to show some more leather with the addition of baking spices, earth, and a more generic citrus note. The halfway point finds the lime seltzer coming back in, along with some black pepper. Coming to the end of the second half, the profile is showing a lot of dark fruit, leather, and earthiness. The performance has remained flawless. 

Final Third

Entering the final third the flavors are consistent, but the intensity of the profile is increasing. Things are moving along much the same as I get about midway into the band point. There’s still plenty of dark fruit and leather. There’s a good bit of citrus in there as well. Coming to an end the profile remained consistent and the performance continued to be perfect. 

Overall Experience

This was an interesting cigar. There was tons of flavor throughout the experience with common notes of leather, dark fruit, earth, and citrus. There was a very interesting lime seltzer I have only experienced in one other cigar (that blend changed slightly, and the new blend doesn’t carry that note). The cigar also performed perfectly throughout the hour and seventeen minute burn time, which is always great. I would certainly recommend this cigar to someone that enjoys fuller profiles that have “darker” flavor notes. I also think it’s worth checking out if you are looking for something unique, and the chance to smoke unique tobacco. 

Feel free to reach out to me with questions, concerns, criticisms, or just to talk at @guitarsandcigarsfarm on Instagram, or contact me through the site here.

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