A great BOTL fulfilled my wish on a ‘make a wish’ thread on one of the forums I am with. My ask were to try a few recent Edicion Regionals as I had been out of the game for awhile and wanted to get a sense of what was being produced.
Ironically, the 2018 Edicion Regional Canada Diplomaticos Nortenos were one of the cigars included. A homage to my Canadian roots I think. Very thoughtful. Thank you Habana Mike.
Let’s see how this is progressing…
The 2018 Edicion Regional Canada Diplomaticos Nortenos is a stout cigar. It is a classic Robusto vitola and comes in at a 50 ring gauge and is 4 and 7/8 inches in length.
There were 6,000 numbered 10 count dress boxes released to market in September 2018. *
* cigar information courtesy of www.cubancigarwebsite.com
The wrapper is a honeyed chestnut hue. Smooth to the touch with minimal veins. Construction is excellent. Firm throughout the cigar with a slight give when squeezed. The rounded triple cap is expertly applied and the foot is packed. Aromas of barnyard, wild mushrooms, earth and peanut butter emanate from the wrapper.
A quick twist from my Siglo multi punch and we are ready for action. The draw is nice. Good air flow with a slight resistance. Roasted nuts, earth, leather and chalk come from the cold draw.
Time to take this to the flame…
First Third
Liquorice, anise, light cedar, cinnamon black coffee and Brazilian nuts start is on our journey. Strength is at a medium bodied level. Very deep and rich flavours to start.
The draw and smoke production are excellent. Good air flow and copious amounts of blue smoke fill the afternoon sky. The burn is sharp and the ash is a ‘dirty’ grey.
The retrohale brings layers of cinnamon, light cedar, earth and leather that move assertively through the nasal passages.
The after finish has some nice depth and complexity to it. Cinnamon, light cedar, earth and leather lead the way. Star anise, liquorice, black coffee and Brazilian nuts form the back end. Initial flavours hit the palate hard and then slowly ebbs away to reveal the other flavours. Medium bodied strength level allows the flavours to envelop the palate aggressively and then slowly fade away. It’s taking a velvet glove/iron fist approach to start.
Second Third
The retrohale sees a slight change with expresso entering the fray. The cinnamon and cedar also pick up the pace, with earth and leather weakening as it moves through the nasal passages. Strength seems to have also slightly increased.
The after finish has been amplified with the increase in strength. Expresso, cedar and cinnamon are the alpha right now. Leather, earth, anise, liquorice, burnt caramel and Brazilian nuts fill out the profile. A little astringent on the back end. Feels like my mouth is drying out. Hitting the palate a little harder now. Will slow down the pace to let it recover. Starting to feel like fists of fury…
Final Third
The retrohale seems more balanced as expresso evolves to cocoa. Cinnamon and cedar have tempered down, with leather and earth picking up the pace. Smoother flavour profile as it moves through the nasal passages.
Starting to find the equilibrium between strength and flavours in the final third. Allows the depth of complexity to be highlighted. Cinnamon, light cedar, earth, leather and cocoa lead the way. Anise, liquorice, Brazilian nuts and burnt caramel round out the flavour profile. More complete on the palate with the strength tempered. A nice way to finish the journey.
Final Impressions
Overall, a solid cigar with great potential to age gracefully. A little discombobulated at this stage. Would like to see the balance between strength and flavours tighten up. Good core flavour profile with nuance and complexity that will only improve over time. I was nervous about this, given my experience with the Excelencia. This was a good surprise.
A big thank you to Habana Mike for sharing this experience with me. I appreciate it my friend. Looking forward to sharing a cigar with you in person in the near future.
Bonus Pics
The 'Dirty' Ashes 
Nice review. Glad you enjoyed!
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