262 Peacefield Maduro | Cigar Review

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan (Mixed filler)
Size: 6 x 50 “Toro”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $3.00

Today we take a look at the 262 Peacefield Maduro.

I want to thank Ian Murray for making my day yesterday with this photo:

BACKGROUND:
Debuted 2015 IPCPR trade show.
Factory: Tabacalera Carreras in Estelí, Nicaragua
Regular Production.

This is a mixed filler cigar using trimmings from the core line blends that 262 Cigar produces. The fillers are a mixed bag but mostly Nicaraguan.
There are three wrapper types: Maduro, Habano, and Connecticut. The cigar comes in both Toro and Churchill (7 x 50) sizes.
I could only find them on Cigar Federation but CF sells only the Toro. I bought a 5 pack for $15.00 minus my 10% coupon code for being a member and have had them sitting for at least a couple months or so. Haven’t smoked one for a month. Which could mean the discovery of the San Andreas fault or the sinking of the Titanic. (Does it drive you nuts..or is just me; when a manufacturer spells San Andrés the same way as the California fault line?)

Apparently, the 262 Cigars people don’t want to claim fame with this cigar as it is not mentioned on their web site.

DESCRIPTION:
It’s a rough looking cigar. The wrapper is oily and near charcoal black in color. Slightly toothy. Hidden veins and lots of veins. Looks like a double cap.
I’ve had the cigar for several months so it should be good to go.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell lovely floral notes, cocoa, sweetness, spice, citrus, and strong black licorice.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell dark chocolate, sweet orange citrus, spice, cinnamon, and coffee.
The cold draw presents flavors of bittersweet cocoa, spice, espresso, and spice.

FIRST THIRD:
I expect char line issues. I try vigilantly to maintain a sixteenth of an inch perimeter burn of the outside of the wrapper, slowly rolling the cigar in my hand; but imperfections tell me I’m in for some touch ups.

First flavors jump out at me: Chocolate, bitter espresso, creaminess, sweetness, red pepper, and malts.
The creamy chocolate element is hitting the spot from the get go. I smoked a couple on the way to a couple months of humidor time and they were just OK. Methinks they need more than a few weeks.

I’m having lots of skirmishes with the burn line. As predicted. So I clean it up and lay it down for about 5 minutes to cool off. I resume with a nice, even burn line.

This is a pretty damn good $3 stick. Even if it is a sandwich style blend. As I like all of the 262 blends, using tobacco from them ain’t such a bad thing to do.
I check out my site and I’ve only reviewed the Ideology and the Paradigm. Shame on me.

I remember having buddy Bruce Cholka over to my house. He was a reader to start and a friend later. With the entire readership I have, it is hard to believe I have only one in Milwaukee. But Bruce is a very good, and kind, gentleman. He tried one of these 262 Peacefield Maduros and said it wasn’t bad. So back in the oven they went until today.
And my best wishes go out to Bruce’s wife, Penny, who is undergoing some very serious health issues. God bless her. I shall do Kiddash wine dance around a bonfire for her tomorrow on a beach at Lake Michigan. No Indian headdresses….Yarmulkes instead.

Back to the 262 Peacefield Maduro.
Strength is a solid medium body.
The ash doesn’t hang too long. Comes off in small lengths of half an inch. Obviously due to the short fillers.
But it ain’t bad. That extra month made a big difference on the flavor profile. And then black pepper joins up with the red pepper and we are barnstorming.

“Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! (“Look! Up in the sky!” “It’s a bird!” “It’s a plane!” “It’s Katman!”)… Yes, it’s Katman… strange visitor from another planet, who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men! Katman… who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands, and who, disguised as Phillip Kohn, mild-mannered reviewer for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, a good smoke, and the American way! And now, another exciting episode, in the Adventures of Katman!”

I can’t remember what day it is but I remember being 4 years old, in front of the TV, and watching “Superman.” I always had a crush on Lois Lane. I’d play with my little Jewish pee pee every time she was in the scene. Now I do the same thing when they show bacon commercials on TV.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 20 minutes.
More flavors: Chocolate, creaminess, caramel, spice, raisins, espresso, malts, cedar, and sweetness.

The 262 Peacefield Maduro is a very nice cigar. It is by no means a yard ‘gar. But it is a very good everyday stick you can enjoy without worrying that it just cost you $16.00.

I want to thank everyone for not outbidding me on yesterday’s Cbid Quickies auction of the Man O’ War Side Projects Phalanx. I got the 5 pack for $16.00. And now I’m done for the month. Whimper, sigh, fart.

I can’t believe this but I can taste some complexity building. Hot damn. A nice balance. And the finish is growing with each puff…like staring at Lois Lane.
I’ve not had a single burn line issue since earlier. In fact, it is razor sharp.

Lots of blenders have tried to do this with their cigars. Just open any cigar catalog. So far, the only other inexpensive 2nd I found to be very good is the CI Alec Bradley 90+ 2nds. I really lucked out with those blends the couple times I bought them…long ago and far away.

But technically, this ain’t a 2nd. Just a short filler “tchotchke.” In the good sense of the word of course.

Black licorice joins the band. What shall we call the band? To my musician readers…tell me what is the hardest thing to do when first forming a new band? C’mon. Tell me. Right. The name of the band. You will spend 30 minutes coming up with a four set song list but 6 weeks coming up with a band name. Tell me I’m wrong.

My first band, in 1965, was called “The Southern California Rock and Roll Protest and Musical Aggregation Band.” Whew. Can’t believe I remembered that. AND..the drummer got a graphic artist to put it on his kick drum.

The 262 Peacefield Maduro is screaming laughter as it nears the halfway point. Great big huge flavors.
The malts: Chocolate Malt, Cara Munich Malt, and Coffee Malt. (See Malt Chart). You must get so tired of this.
Anyway, this cigar, in a blind taste test by myself would be valued much higher than $3.
I will make the final determination later.

The smoke portion of our show has slowed down considerably. I’m really milking the hell out of this cigar. I thought this was going to be a 60 minute cigar but I was wrong.
Transitions are occurring. A good sign.

This isn’t a kitchen sink flavor profile but it does wondrous things with what it has.
The only downside, if there is one, is that it takes several months of humidor time.

HALFWAY POINT:
Smoke time is 45 minutes.
Everything is ratcheting up. The spice makes my tongue burn and my lips tingle. Remember the days, or currently, when your tongue felt like it pulled a muscle for several days after a fun romp in the sack? Sort of like that.

The cocoa and creaminess and the malts lead the pack. The raisins and caramel and cedar and black licorice are following with a shovel.
The draw has been spot on this whole time.
Strength is now medium/full.
A really delightful smoke.

I said I was going to review the Gurkha Xtreme today but I was rummaging around and found this stick. I thought, what the hell. The Gurkha can wait.

Since no one commented on whether I should review the cigars that dear Johnny Piette sent me that are no longer available, I made an executive decision. I’m going to review them. I may not find any information about them but it will keep me writing.
He also sent me a couple of the Santiago Cigars Connecticut blend. I will do that shortly.

Every time I feel sorry for myself, all I have to do is watch the news. These poor people in Mexico undergoing an F5 hurricane. Their lives will be turned upside down. And I’m pissing and moaning because my puny brain is dying…on a slow roll I might add. Charlotte and I don’t have any problems compared to these people.

The 262 Peacefield Maduro is super full body now. Very, very spicy. And loads of flavor from the list.
I think I can pretend to do a blind taste test now. Not knowing what I know, I’d say this was a $5-$7 stick.
It reminds a little of the Pepin Garcia Black Label. Not as many flavors as the Garcia blend but it has that heft; the meatiness, and strength.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 5 minutes.

Whatever happened to Lyle Lovett?

The 262 Peacefield Maduro is a killer now. I wish I were more patient with my other 4 sticks. But at $15 for a 5 pack, no big deal. I would like to try the Habano next and Cigar Federation has them in stock. Same goes for the Connecticut. They are out of the Maduro in 5 packs and singles but still have them in 20 count bundles for $60. Let’s do the math. 10% discount for being a member and now the bundle is $54.00.

That floating description for the 262 Peacefield Maduro at CF lumps all the wrapper types into one snap shot. With the strength being a generic medium. So I’m guessing that the Maduro would have said Full and the Habano is probably the Medium.

I really like the 262 Peacefield Maduro. If I hadn’t dropped $16 on the Man O’ Wars on Cbid last night, I’d pick up a 5 pack of the Habanos.

I pre-ordered the Blu-ray of: Jurassic World and got it this week. This is my review I left on Amazon:
“I should have read some reviews.
“Why does Spielberg always use a blue eyed mop top for the hero kid? The kid always looks like Spielberg in his early directorial days.
“And what? The very first emotional death scene of a dinosaur? Lawdy, lawdy. The tears. The agonizing slow death. Just like watching this movie.
“I found myself able to recite the lines at the same time as the actors. And no, I’m not clairvoyant.
“Where were the A list actors? Or even good actors? Spent their entire budget on effects? Most probably.
“Now I know why it only took 37 minutes from screen to DVD sales.
“Shame, Steven, shame.”
Titled: “Worst of the Series.”

The cigar finishes a tad rough. But the flavors are good to the last drop so I keep going.
I don’t think you can do better with $3 than buying the 262 Peacefield Maduro.

RATING: 88