Initial Thoughts:
Prior to receiving the Graycliff 30 Year Vintage from the Luxury Cigar Club, I'd never heard of Graycliff cigars. But, one of the reasons I signed up for a cigar-of-the-month service like theirs is to discover new cigars, so mission accomplished.
The Graycliff 30 Year is a well-made cigar. Visually, there are almost no flaws in the wrapper. Then, after cutting about 1/2″ off of the torpedo tip, the draw is very smooth and the burn is almost even, though one side is burning slightly faster than the other. The flavors I get are very smooth; they're nutty and creamy, and there is absolutely no bite or harshness anywhere in this cigar.
CigarScore:
Brand: Graycliff
Line: 30-Year Vintage
Size: 6 x 52
Cut: Guillotine
Light: Matches
Price: $20 – Luxury Cigar Club
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Mexican San Andres
Filler: Nicaraguan Seco, Dominican Piloto Cubano Seco, Brazilian Mata Fina, and Honduran Copan
Final Thoughts:
After enjoying this cigar for about 40 minutes, I had to remove the first label. That means, at the 40-minute mark, I'm 1/2 way through this thing – not good. Although I might be in for a shorter smoke with this cigar, I have to say, the Graycliff 30 Year Vintage is a fine cigar. The burn evened out, the draw remained just about right, and the light, creamy flavors have left almost zero after taste.
Once I passed the halfway point on this cigar, something opened up and I started to get an easier draw and plenty of delicious smoke. At the 55 minute mark, I had to remove the second label – I don't know if this cigar will last much more than an hour. In the end, the Graycliff lasted just about an hour and fifteen minutes – not great for a toro-sized cigar that costs $20-25.
While the flavors, build quality, and construction of the Graycliff 30 Year Vintage were all good, the short smoke and high price point cannot be discounted. For these reasons, I give this cigar a CigarScore of 2.
