Asylum 10 11/18

Every year seems to bring about some anniversary cigars, and 2022 was no exception. Among the companies celebrating milestones was Asylum, which notched its 10th anniversary, and commemorated the occasion by releasing a pair of cigars.

The Asylum 10 is a Honduran puro, which marks the third consecutive year that the company has celebrated its anniversary with such a blend. The company hasn’t disclosed any specifics about the varietals or regions where the tobacco comes from, however.

Also returning are the two vitolas that have been used for the previous three releases.

Both sizes are limited editions and come in individual coffins, with 1,300 boxes of 20 cigars made for each vitola by The CLE Factory in Honduras.

• Cigar Reviewed: Asylum 10 11/18
• Country of Origin: Honduras
• Factory: The CLE Factory
• Wrapper: Honduras
• Binder: Honduras
• Filler: Honduras
• Length: 6 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 48/54/48
• Vitola: 11/18 Perfecto
• MSRP: $20.60 (Box of 20, $412)
• Release Date: August 2022
• Number of Cigars Released: 1,300 Boxes of 20 Cigars (26,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

I can’t remember how many years it has been since I first saw the 11/18 vitola, but more than a decade later it still manages to catch my eye. It’s a vitola that is most notable when the band is on it, as the bulge in the middle makes it tougher to get that band to lay flat, but a keen eye will recognize the fairly subtle shift in size regardless of the band. The wrapper is very even in color save for the areas right around the veins; the leaf has a medium brown, slightly earthy color with a matte finish and not much oiliness. There is a bit of texture to the wrapper leaf, as it is just slightly waxy on the fingers. The cigar is a bit softer than what has become normal, as it has some give but doesn’t have the firm core that has become more-or-less standard among current day cigars. The foot has a very mild and slightly sweet initial aroma that reminds me of cake donuts, which then evolves into some firewood and a touch of creaminess. Only one of the three cigars offers what I would call an aroma that is more than mild. Air moves easily on the cold draw and carries flavors of unsalted baked pretzels, bread crust and a bit more wood. One cigar also has a touch of creaminess that has a bit of vanilla in it. Neither the cold draw or the aroma have any appreciable pepper.

The Asylum 10 11/18 gets things going with a fairly mild profile that has a bit of cream, chalk and dry earth. But it’s not too long after being lit that the cigar kicks into gear with a profile of rich black pepper that suggests this cigar has some bold flavors in store as well as a dry crisp wood as a secondary flavor. There’s a bit more woodiness and some hints at plain potato chips, but once the pepper establishes itself it quickly steps into the lead role of the profile. Given that this is a Honduran puro, I’m not surprised to see the distinctive dusty earth and terroir of that country making a run at driving the profile as well. Retrohales aren’t quite as intense in terms of black pepper, but they still impart quite a tingle on the nostrils. One cigar has just a bit of chili pepper heat to it, which gives the profile even more character, especially if the creaminess fades. Each of the three cigars burn very well with plenty of smoke, even burn lines, smooth draws and no combustion issues. Flavor is medium-plus for the most part, body is medium, and strength is generally mild.

Not long into the second third of one cigar, the burn line begins to go quite awry, resulting in one side remaining unburned and creating the look often referred to as shoveling. Thankfully the other two dodge the issue and burn much better. The black pepper has let up a bit from the flavor, but it is still very present on the palate as part of a mix that include more Honduran earthiness, a bit of creaminess, and a sweetness that I can’t quite place but it has me thinking of the kind of custard I’d find in the middle of an eclair, just much more mild. Retrohales continue to be very enjoyable and have now picked up a bit of chili pepper heat that makes the tingling sensation lighter and brighter but always more intense. One cigar—one I smoke early in the morning—really shines in terms of flavor during the second third. it’s not that it’s much different from the other two, but it just manages to do everything a bit better; the core flavors are a bit brighter and cleaner, the pepper is a bit crisper and the creaminess has a more balanced role. As the burn line hits the midway point, the flavor picks up a bit more of a snap on the tongue, a sensation that I can’t say I get a lot from cigars. It seems to be most closely associated with the dry wood in the profile and makes for an interesting start to the finish of the cigar, which ends up being dominated by pepper and earth. Retrohales get a bit heartier as well, as there are times when they really embrace the earthiness and in doing so adds more pepper for some contrast. The final puffs of this section see the pepper inch back up in intensity and become a bit sharper both on the tongue and in the nose. Flavor is medium-plus, body is medium and strength is still fairly mild but beginning to get stronger. Construction has been very good, as has combustion, though the latter needs regular puffs as the cigar seems a bit too willing to go out.

There is a bit of a sweet wood flavor that comes out not long into the final third, an interesting and welcomed addition to the flavor given that it has largely been dominated by earth and pepper. It’s not a terribly prominent addition to the flavor, nor does is stick around long but it’s time in the profile is enjoyable. Retrohales, meanwhile, continue to get more focused and almost a bit sharp at times, as the pepper has lightened up and has no problem making my nostrils tingle. Creaminess makes a nice return to the profile, a return that is most notable by how it thickens up the body of the smoke, but it also softens the profile and adds just a bit of sweetness. It also seems to bring about more smoke on each puff; while the cigar has not struggled with smoke production thus far, each draw on the cigar now results in a thick cloud. Its addition doesn’t negate the dry earth and black pepper that have been hallmarks of the profile almost since the start, and almost as if they sense the creaminess encroaching on their roles, they ramp up a tick in the final inches. From a technical standpoint, if the cigar can avoid combustion issues, it checks all the boxes as the burn line has remained straight, the draw is very good and smoke production has been outstanding. Flavor finishes medium-full if not outright full, body is just a tick behind flavor, medium-plus to medium-full, and strength is just getting into medium territory.

Final Notes

• One thing I’ve noticed about the 11/18 vitola is that it can make it tough to get the band to lay flat, especially with bigger bands such as the one on the Asylum 10. That means that there’s a bit of a gap at the top of the band as it doesn’t touch the cigar.
• Removing the band on the first cigar caused a bit of damage, despite my best attempts to be as delicate as possible. It is pretty well adhered to itself, and there seemed to be a bit of glue that made its way onto the backside and took off a small piece of the wrapper.
• Fortunately, there is also an option to slide the band off the cigar on occasion.
• I must also say that the detail on the band is quite impressive.
• Even with smoking three cigars for each review, it’s still a fairly small sample size, especially when it comes to how a single cigar might result in a different experience from the other. What I can say is that the one cigar I smoked in the morning as opposed to after lunch had a much more vibrant flavor and aroma.
• Brian Burt visited the Asylum booth at the 2022 PCA Convention & Trade Show, where Asylum also previewed next year’s release, the Asylum 11.
• There is a bit of strength to the Asylum 10 11/18, but it never approaches a level where I would say that I’m truly feeling it.
• Final smoking time was one hour and 50 minutes on average.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Site sponsor Famous Smoke Shop carries the Asylum 10 Limited Edition 11/18.