Origin : Cuba
Format : Grand Edmundo
Size : 135 mm x 54
Ring : 54
Hand-Made
Price :12USD-

Cigar Rating

Draw : 5 out of 6 stars
Burn : 5 out of 6 stars
Flavour : 3.5 out of 6 stars
Aroma : 4 out of 6 stars
Strength : 2.5 out of 6 stars

Cigar Brand Overview

Quai d'Orsay was created in the 70s when the recently elected president at the time, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, asked his minister of economy to create a French Cigar. As the former president explained "France is known for its perfume, champagne, foie gras but nothing in the world of tobacco".
La Seita, company that had the monopoly of tobacco in France, was commissioned to create a cigar for the French market. Quai d'Orsay became the third brand at that time on the market with a non Cuban name, after Davidoff and Dunhill.

The marca was present in minor markets only. Over the past decade France was able to enjoy beautiful Quai d'Orsay regional editions that became collector items.

Since last year we can experience a "re-birth" of Quai D'orsay. 2 new vitola, a new look for the brand and a great blend. The n.50, already reviewed here and the No.54.

Cigar Appearance
I personaly love the new branding of Quai D'Orsay. The work Habanos S.A. and La Seita is great. Most of the Quai D'Orsay cigars will be claro to Colorado claro wrapper. The one reviewed has a stunning light shade of brown wrapper. Smooth and very elegant visually, matching perfectly with the new cigar band. I love the attention to detail to the band with the small gold spot in the letters for example. It is a great balance between simplicity and elegance.

Cigar Tasting

The Quai D'Orsay No.54 is a great big size cigar. Slightly shorter than the Behike 54. As described previously their wrappers are amazing. very good looking and of a high quality.
As I cut the cigar, or open the cigar as I sometimes like to say, the I see a great construction. Not to tight not to packed. The pre draw confirmed my thoughts.

The first few puffs were very light in flavours and aromas, very short finish and almost no structure on the palate. The density of smoke is immediately very high and very enjoyable.
As this is the first cigar of the day for me, with a coffee and nothing eaten before, I kind of like the fact that the structure is very weak. The flavours appear slowly with some nice sweet vanilla and a gentle nuttiness. Definitely not the most expressif blend so far but the amount of smoke and the light strength allow the very subtle flavour to stand out and being enjoyed.

During the second part the intensity slowly increase and the cigar vary between light and light to medium. Some moments are not balanced at all and express the ammonia left in the cigar too much. A slight bitterness appears on the palate but the flavours profiles from before increase with the addition sometimes of a Islay whisky finish on the palate. The feeling you have after having had a sip of a lagavulin 10 minutes ago. Very interesting. The structure is a bit more dense and allow the flavour to linger slightly more on the palate.
The aroma is great and intense.

The Last third is probably what you would really expect. Elegant and round would be enough to describe it. The moment of unbalanced is over.
However the blend is sometimes a bit dry on the palate and the flavours are good that we can feel a bit frustrated not to experience them more. It is a very light blend one of the lightest one I have experienced in months. Lighters than the corona claro and the No.50 but makes it a great Sunday morning cigar :)

Overall Rating

I enjoyed the No.54 as an easy smoke without any complexity.
If you are looking for a cigar rich and full of flavours it is certainly not the right one.
It makes it the perfect Brunch companion!

Cigar Review – Quai D’Orsay No. 54

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