Moments Panatella - Pack of 5 (5 cigars)

cheap and nasty causes headache, very unpleasant smoke. only bought it as it was recommended by there staff

The cigars come in a plain, clear wrapper, I couldn't find a notch to pull off so I had to open it from the end. They were loosely packed, a bit of a spongy feel and also had a note of spice from the pre light fragrance. On initial light the smoke is mellow and creamy with a lingering light spice on the tongue in the aftertaste. A light leathery note in the was evident throughout the first third. The cigar had a very surprisingly good and even burn. By the time that I had smoked it to the half way point the leathery taste is still there, but there is a slightly earthy taste now and the spice in the tip of the tongue is still there. However there is now a slight bitter aftertaste creeping in with the spices. The smoke output from this cigar is minimal, to the point where I'd almost thought that it had gone out, but I was wrong it stayed alight and had a decent ash given the size of the cigar. Midway through the final third, which was 15 minutes of smoking time, this cigar started to became too harsh and bitter to enjoy any more of. A surprisingly decent cheap smoke, I was dreading it as it was simply (in my eyes) too cheap. Like so many of these panatella size it was a quick smoke, but had some decent tastes in there and proved to have a bit more depth than others in this range that I've tried. It was a shame about the bitterness at the end, but for under £1 a stick then I can't complain. Overall it's difficult to rate these. Compared to the decent cigars on this site then I would give them 1. But that is not fair as they never claim to be a rival to a Cuban smoke, they are budget smokes aimed at those wanting value for money. If I'm going to compare them to their rivals in the target market: Hamlets, Castella, Panamas etc then they are a decent and hold their own. Personally I'd spend a few more quid and go for the Montecristo Puritos.