Jul 7, 2016 4 min read

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ACID Subculture Progeny cigars are made exclusively for Famous Smoke Shop by Drew Estate in Estelí, Nicaragua. Only premium cigar retailers that have been appointed expressly by Drew Estate can stock ACID Subculture cigars, and each Subculture blend is created specifically for their appointed retailers respectively.

Construction and Overall Appearance: Excellent. The cigar is well-packed and firm to the touch. The Mexican San Andrés wrapper is even in color, and virtually free of any visible veins. Nice tuck on the foot, too.

Draw (airflow): Very good.

Pre-light flavor (cold draw): The sweetened cap provides a mostly sugary taste.

Toasting & Light: Excellent. The tuck at the foot allows the tobacco to light quickly and evenly.

First few puffs: Mild and herbal with hints of lemony spice.

Base flavors: Cedar and spicy cinnamon.

Aroma: Very fragrant and herbal with a note of cloves, yet not overly effusive.

Burn / Ash Quality: Excellent. No burn issues at all. Ash is grey and firm enough to hang on for at least three-quarters of an inch before dropping.

Balance of flavors: Very good and consistent throughout.

The cigar starts out on the mild side with an earthy, herbal, sweet wood, and cinnamon mix. The aroma is also pleasantly spicy with notes of cinnamon and clove, and is not as effusive as some other ACID cigars I’ve smoked. The cigar revealed an even burn with a firm grey ash. Overall, the smoke was dominated by elements of sweet-spicy cinnamon candy like that found in spicy Jujubes, or the first stage of an Atomic Fireball.

As the cigar approached its midpoint, the sweetness on the cap began to fade, allowing more tobacco flavor to come through. The smoke was still relatively mellow but showed slightly more depth as the flavors retained their earthy-woody-cinnamon spice base. Some puffs revealed a subtle fruity layer bubbling below. All-in-all, the cigar maintained an excellent balance as it shrugged-off its sweeter elements.

Moving into the last act, there was no interference at all from the cap; just me and the core blend. At this stage the cigar has developed into a more medium-full smoke. The tobacco flavors were considerably more prevalent as the cinnamon spice remained, but with less intensity. At this point, the character was remarkably closer to a traditionally-blended cigar leaving the sweet-spicy aroma to play with the olfactory senses. Also impressive was that the cigar never turned bitter, even with only a couple of inches remaining.

Although the ACID Subculture Progeny is advertised as a much more intense smoke, it should not be confused with being strong. Its “intensity” comes mostly from the cap and the spicy cinnamon notes, especially in the early stages. For me, the smoke never reached beyond medium-full in overall strength, while the flavors were spot-on consistent, building uniformly as the cigar continued on its fragrant course. I would add that the Subculture Progeny would be a smart choice for anyone who wanted to familiarize themselves with ACID Cigars. If they enjoy the Progeny, it’s likely they will appreciate many of the other ACID blends. Overall, the ACID Subculture Progeny offered a very creamy, rich-tasting and relaxing smoke with a stimulating aroma.

~ Written by Gary Korb of Cigar Advisor