OK, here I go again with yet another ACID review. I promise these are coming to an end soon and may even try to get some of my recent favorite non-infused cigars entered into the database. Just so you know in the past two weeks I’ve smoked about a dozen sticks of which only four were infused. Having said that, this is another review of an infused ACID that I actually enjoy.
The Cigar
The ACID Blondie is
4 x 38 Petite Corona with a natural
Connecticut Shade wrapper and Nicaraguan filler. Like all the cigars in the ACID Blue line the Blondie is infused with over 140 botanicals that consist of the essential oils from flowers and herbs, many of Asian origin. Of all the cigars in the ACID lines the Blondie has been one of the most popular and is considered to be of medium strength. Due to its small size the Blondie is about a 20 minute smoke which the manufacturer describes as "20 minutes of sweet, followed by a robust, climactic finish.” Like all the ACID cigars the Blondie is hand rolled at Drew Estate’s Esteli Nicaragua factory.
The Brand
As I’ve mentioned in my other ACID reviews Drew Estates was founded in 1995 by fraternity brothers Jonathan Sann (aka Jonathan Drew) and Marvin Samel. The business started out as a retail shop in the World Trade Center Mall. The co-founders decided to start their own line in reaction to the cult popularity of Lars Tetens, which are considered inferior cigars by many. Their goal was to create an infused cigar, they don’t call them ‘flavored,’ made with superior tobacco. The infusion process uses secret blends of Asian herbs and botanical essential oils to impart exotic background flavors without overwhelming the flavor of the tobacco itself. Today they own an estate in the cigar capital of Esteli Nicaragua, home of such renowned makers as Perdomo and CAO among others.
My Experience
Unlike the
ACID Ming and the
ACID Nasty both of which I recently reviewed and neither of which I liked, the Blondie is a nice little smoke. The small size makes it perfect for times when I don’t have the luxury of enjoying a full sized corona. I don’t smoke in my automobile but if you are so inclined this would be a perfect short trip stick. I find that it makes a nice after dinner smoke. I was somewhat surprised when I tried my first Blondie at how mellow a smoke it was. Often with such a small cigar there isn’t the volume of filler or length to mellow out the heat and harshness of the smoke.. With the Blondie I found it very mellow yet full of flavor. I notice more of the botanical notes with the Blondie which uses the same formulation as other cigars in Drew’s Blue line such as the Kuba Kuba. I would describe the flavor as spicy with floral notes and a vaguely incense-like background note. This might not be the best cigar for someone trying to ease into infusion as it is a little more in your face than some of the others. I’ve also noticed that due to its small size and less dense filler this cigar seems to be more susceptible to moisture. I normally keep my humidors at around 68% but on two occasions I have purchased Blondies from tobacconists that must have kept their humidors at higher levels as the sticks were slightly mushy and burned poorly.
Normally I drink ales and with the Blondie I find that it pairs better with stronger, sweeter ales. I would say that any beverage with a bold flavor should pair nicely with the Blondie.
Price
I have paid anywhere from $3.25 to $4.00 for individual sticks and I seen boxes of 40 advertised for between $108.95 to $124.00.
