The T. by Caldwell AJ Booth Lonsdale Cigar Review

Buy The T. at Famous Smoke Shop

• Size: 6-1/2″ x 44 (Lonsdale)
• MSRP: $210.00 (box of 20); $10.50 for a single
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Body: Medium
• Strength: Medium
• Humidor Time Prior to Review: 3 months
• Cigars Smoked Prior to Review: 3
• Source: Purchased with Personal Funds
• Date Smoked: October 13, 2018

The T. is a collaboration between 3 popular blenders, Robert Caldwell from Caldwell Cigars, AJ Fernandez, and Matt Booth from Room 101. I’ve reviewed cigars by all 3 of these guys in my short stint of reviewing cigars, so when the chance came up to review this relatively new blend by 3 prominent names in the industry, I jumped on it. Of course I paid for these myself, but got them on sale. What else is new, I’m cheap.

If you read cigar reviews, they all essentially say the same thing in the introduction. My turn: Apparently the cigar was originally slated to be called “The Truth” but due to intellectual property complications the name was truncated to “The T.” Moving on…

Any time you have a collaboration like this the question becomes whether the cigar will be truly successful, or whether this is simply a marketing gimmick. For example, it is common practice for YouTubers to collaborate with each other. They do this to cross promote their channels and grow their audiences. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s clever marketing. Is The T. truly a grand collaboration, or is this clever marketing? I will attempt to figure that out in today’s review.

Appearance and Pre-light Aromas

The T features a toothy dark brown wrapper dotted with small bumps. There are few veins and the seams are near invisible on this cigar. The last one I smoked was much veinier. This is a slim and attractive stick, given a soft square box press. The cigar feels about normal for its size. The pack feels firm. Topping things off is a neatly applied double cap. This cigar was made in AJ Fernandez’s factory, and it looks to be well constructed.

Sniffing the wrapper yields a musty barnyard aroma. It’s quite dank, and reminds me of mushrooms. Smelling the foot and I am getting slightly sweeter aromas, but mostly that same dank earthy smell. It is an earthy smelling cigar.

I clip the cap and take a test draw. The draw is tight but this is a narrow cigar and I expect it to open up. I get chocolate on the cold draw along with a little raisin.

I start toasting and light up. Start time is 10:52 A.M.

First Third

The first couple puffs are sweet and earthy. Earth, chocolate, a little pepper on the finish and retrohale, and a light nuttiness. Body starts out at a solid medium. The draw is on the snug side, but producing plenty of smoke.

5 minutes in and I’m getting a little creaminess on the draw. I’m also getting a papery flavor, which could be more like generic wood and earth. It is a very neutral flavor. At this point the cigar has little in the way of sweetness, although the aroma is a fantastic vanilla flavor. The pepper is ticking up, especially through the nose.

10 minutes in the burn is razor sharp and a quarter inch or so of compact gray ash is forming. Smoke from the resting cigar trails across my keyboard as I type away.

It has finally begun to cool off here in Southwest Florida. According to Google, the current temperature is 78. It feels wonderful in the shade with a gentle breeze. Last week I was in Montreal visiting friends, and it was in the 50s during the day. I love the cool weather, and was glad to see it follow me home to Florida.

Chocolate is coming back into the blend, and now some light coffee joins it. Glad to see the more generic wood/earth flavor give way to some sweetness, but there is still a strong earthy core to this cigar. Still getting some cream on the front and pepper on the retrohale and finish as well.

The ash on these thin cigars is finicky, and the first ash dropped at about half an inch when I set the cigar down to rest in the ash tray.

Our The T. is smoking nicely. It is still mostly an earthy cigar at this point. I am getting a little chocolate and coffee as well and that aforementioned pepper and cream, but not much else. I smoked one of these after work yesterday to prepare for the review and had a similar experience with the first third. I’m getting a little strength (nicotine) and am feeling the effects.

Suddenly, a light fruitiness develops. I’m not sure what it is. It is kind of a fruity coffee flavor at the moment, but a sign that this cigar is about to transition. I welcome transitions and am waiting for this cigar to take off. So far it has been a demure smoke. Not unpleasant, but kind of basic so far.

The body has stepped up and I’m getting stronger coffee and chocolate flavors. A little nuttiness emerges and the second chunk of ash slides off.

Second Third

Smoke time is at 30 minutes.

The strength is potent. I’m not nauseous, but don’t usually feel the effects of nicotine this strongly this early on in the cigar. At this point I’d say I’m comfortably numb.

The rising sun breaks free of the trees and bathes me in direct sunlight. I raise my patio umbrella to get some relief.

The fruity coffee bean flavor is continuing to intensify. Chocolate and a nice sweet tobacco underpins it. Still getting some cream and pepper.

I am trying to increase my smoking cadence in these reviews. I realize that 2 hours for a robusto is too slow. I try to smoke slowly, as that allows me to savor the cigar, keeps it cool and maximizes the flavors, but I think I’ve been smoking too slowly. Too much typing. Sorry. I don’t claim to be god’s gift to cigar reviewers. Just trying to enjoy the hobby in my way. I am trying to be transparent in my reviews as well. When you do that, you expose yourself to criticism, but I’m hoping some people will appreciate the transparency in my process and the evolution that comes with that.

On the subject of transparency, I am reading the book “Principles” by Ray Dalio. Ray is a billionaire hedge fund manager and his book is amazing. I was resistant to it, as I mostly read for fun, but the guy is remarkably honest and self aware. He’s a genius and it would be great if a little of that rubbed off on me. I can use all the help I can get.

Back to The T. It continues to smoke perfectly, producing thick clouds of smoke with each puff. While the flavors haven’t shifted dramatically the complexity is increasing. I am getting more nuance with each puff as I explore the contours of this rich and earthy cigar. The smoke has become a nicely balanced blend of sweet and savory elements. Tough to describe but easy to appreciate.

A cedar flavor is beginning to appear, and a honey cognac flavor is also emerging. Malty and deep. But the strength is the most powerful element of this cigar. My head is spinning as I sit here in my back yard. I could use some hand rails. Getting up to take photographs is a challenge.

Now a delicate anise flavor is developing. It plays nicely with the coffee, chocolate, cedar, and earth. We are cruising along as we approach the first band and the final third.

Final Third

Smoke time is around 50 minutes.

The first band tugs away cleanly and the cigar continues to smoke fabulously. The burn continues to be razor sharp and I haven’t had to use my lighter yet. This is the way it should be, but I find these narrow ring gauge cigars smoke a little better for me in general.

I’m getting some light raisin now. Once again it interfaces perfectly with the rest of the flavors. The strength may have me feeling ragged, but this has been a silky smooth cigar thus far. Not a lick of harshness in this stick.

The nice thing about a box press is you can rest the cigar on a corner of the ash tray without fear of it rolling away. It makes for an easy cigar to smoke and photograph.

The cedar flavor continues to build. It is multi-dimensional with tangy and malty elements.

We are at the main band. It pulls off without a struggle. No fussing and fighting with glue. The bands are dark and elegant. I suspect that is Caldwell’s contribution. He and Booth both have a talent for packaging, but there is plenty of substance to compliment the style. The naked cigar has a toothy, sandpaper like quality.

On the flavor front we continue to get a rich blend of coffee, earth, cedar, and chocolate with a light raisin fruitiness. The spice has dropped off substantially. Now I mostly get earth and cedar through the nose. It retrohales easily, while the resting cigar smokes like a chimney.

I’m still getting a cognac like experience from this cigar. I bought a bottle of Courvoisier a couple months ago and have been enjoying a snifter or two on the weekends after dinner. It has been a nice change of pace from bourbon with plenty of warm sweet flavors to balance out the astringency of the alcohol. It makes for a great Old Fashioned as well.

I find myself slowing down, resting the cigar for a minute or so between puffs. That doesn’t seem to phase The T. This isn’t a cigar to smoke in the heat of the day. At least for me. I’m finding it quite strong. Beads of sweat are forming on my brow. This thin, unassuming cigar has me begging for mercy. They should consider including a defibrillator with the higher ring gauge boxes.

On the flavor front the cigar continues to be deep and earthy. Sweetness rises and falls, but that earthy core is a constant. Plenty of chocolate and coffee buttress each draw.

Jesus this cigar is strong. My brain is reeling. Mercifully, a cool breeze ushers in some additional oxygen. Not a cigar to smoke on empty stomach. Or just a protein shake.

Warm baking spices wash across my tongue, but I’m gasping like a fish out of water. Not sure if I will be able to finish this thing. I had one last night to get ready for the review, and don’t recall it being this strong but damn I am feeling it now.

Oily leather emerges in the last couple inches.

I had to put the cigar down at the hour and 20 minute mark with an inch and a half remaining. I went inside and laid down. This cigar literally knocked me off my ass, and if I continued I think I would have thrown up.

I usually am not this big of a wuss when it comes to nicotine, but it is what it is. This didn’t happen with yesterday’s cigar. It was strong, but not unbearable. That said, I smoked it around 5:30 P.M. after a couple meals. Today all I had was a protein shake with some peanut butter in it.

The T by Caldwell AJ Booth in Lonsdale Review – Final Thoughts

Sweet baby Jesus this is a strong smoke. Nicely balanced, rich and complex, but one of the more potent blends I have reviewed to date. The strength reminds me of a full size Oliva Serie V. Not to be trifled with.

The construction and burn qualities were top notch. Not so much as a touch up was needed, let alone a relight.

Body hits the medium full mark by the second third and it didn’t let up. The transitions weren’t wild but they were present and appreciated. There were some good tricks up the sleeve of this cigar. Recommended if you like your cigars strong and earthy. Not my first choice for novice smokers.

Final Smoke Time: 1 hour 20 minutes+

Final Score: 4/5 or a “1” on my 0-2 scale. I’d buy it again.

I recommend purchasing the T at Famous Smoke Shop. Please consider that purchasing things through any of the links on this website, including Amazon.com, helps support the website and keeps it going. Any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.