The TNCC last featured a cigar blended by Noel Rojas way back in 2015 when we reviewed the Guayacan Maduro on Episode 16. While the TNCC may not have reviewed any other Rojas offerings over the last decade, I have personally smoked and enjoyed a few over the years. The Breakfast Tacos Connecticut is a petite salomon that hits the spot with a cup of coffee when you don’t have much time on your hands. Speaking of coffee, Rojas has recently released another cigar centered around morning rituals and that’s what we’re here to talk about tonight…
THE CIGAR – QUIET MORNING by ROJAS CIGARS
Size: 6 x 46 (corona gorda)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut-seed
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
Price: $10.48 (head over to Famous Smoke Shop and use promo code TNCC20 to receive $20 off your purchase of $100 or more, Quiet Morning cigars which are currently 10% off!)
Aromas of faint hay and green tea are immediately detected once the cellophane sleeve is removed from the Quiet Morning corona gorda. A quick punch to the cap reveals a predominantly grassy cold draw with just a touch of woodsiness. The cigar has just the right amount of give when gently squeezed between two fingers… just like yours truly.
A crisp, well-defined white pepper immediately announces itself through the nose upon ignition. Once the Quiet Morning’s closed foot has burned through, the draw introduces both cedar and light coffee notes in equal measure. The white pepper soon dials down a notch, although it was never aggressive in the slightest to begin with. After a few more puffs, a creaminess begins to develop on the finish.
The amount of thick white chewy smoke pouring out from both ends of the Quiet Morning is impressive for a smaller ring gauge cigar. Construction is very good so far with a smooth draw and a burn line that is taking care of itself nicely. A somewhat odd combination of faint mineral and cream cheese frosting has arrived underneath the retrohale’s pepper. Well it’s an odd combo on paper perhaps, but in real time these dissimilar notes work quite well together. Meanwhile downstairs, the cedar and light coffee flavors continue to stand toe-to-toe with one another.
I don’t know if the Quiet Morning is an unusually fast smoking cigar or if I’m just enjoying it so much that I’m puffing away too frequently. I make a mental note to slow things down. Around the same time that the burn reaches the secondary band, a floral element is detected on the retro adding yet another layer of complexity to the mix. Then, as we reach the fifty yard line, the white pepper suddenly becomes more pronounced once again as my nostrils begin to tingle.
A perfect beverage pairing seems obvious this time around – your favorite coffee or tea before 11:30am, a cold glass of sweet or green tea from 12-4:30pm, and Long Island iced teas henceforth. Construction continues to impress. I was forced to step away from this review session twice, for roughly five minutes on both occasions, and upon my return the Quiet Morning smoked just fine with no relight required. The white pepper continues its triumphant return to the forefront of the retrohale.
The retro’s more subtle, nuanced notes are still discernable underneath the pepper. If you’re not blowing smoke out of your nose with the Quiet Morning, you’ve wasted both your time and money. The last few puffs take me back momentarily to where the cigar began and then, poof, it’s over…
THE NUB
TNCC Final Score = 94
If you’re a regular here in The Corner Of No Hope you might be able to guess what I’m about to write next, but if you’re dropping in for the first time take note: We have consistently said for over a decade that the worst thing a cigar can be is boring. Nobody likes to spend sacred “quiet” time with something or someone who is fucking boring. Unless it’s your old, faithful dog. Fortunately, Noel Rojas has blended a far-from-boring cigar that consistently keeps you on your toes. The Quiet Morning corona gorda is a well-constructed, complex cigar that also manages to be exceptionally balanced throughout its 65 minute duration. I look forward to hopefully smoking the larger ring gauge vitolas in the near future to compare the experiences. Highly recommended!
