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HAS ENRICO GONE OFF THE CLIFF?

Tasting the expanding Graycliff line

Los Angeles, September 2 – Great cigar brands are often the creation of an individual whose passion leads to a special product that charms the market.

That’s what Enrico Garzaroli had in mind in 1998 when he introduced Graycliff. Not content to simply offer outstanding Havana cigars at his Graycliff resort in Nassau, the Bahamas, he recruited the former manager of Havana’s famed El Laguito Factory – home of Cohiba – Avelino Lara.

Starting with just a dozen rollers under Lara’s supervision, the line has expanded from the red-labeled original blend to six today, plus the new G2, introduced last month at the Retail Tobacco Dealers of America (RTDA) show in New Orleans.

How good is Graycliff? We took a taste test:

Graycliff:
[Red Label: available in 11 sizes]
Starting with the original blend, we found all of the Graycliff lines easy to smoke and beautifully made. Every one we tried drew perfectly and were easy to enjoy, with this blend showing off a light aroma that exhibited hints of both pepper and sweetness.

The Red Label blend sports a medium-to-full body, but the taste is surprisingly relaxed, with a core of light pepper over a caramelized element which follows through to the finish. It’s balanced and will find favor with those who prefer a peppery flavor along with the sweetness shown by the caramelized undertone. Real pepperheads will prefer the Profesionale blend (see below).

Some we tried were a bit more peppery, but the blend was never aggressive or bitter. The taste is always in the treble clef, away from any low notes.
Overall grade: B: good.

Graycliff Emerald:
[Green Label: available in 4 sizes]
Here is a blend which should eliminate any prejudice against candela wrappers, now way out of favor with most smokers after being dominant in the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Emerald’s Ecuadorian-grown green wrapper caps off a medium-bodied blend which has a modest, but toasty aroma.

The flavor shows off a nice, caramel-tinged flavor to begin, with a hint of pepper underneath. The finish is long and sweet and remains that way throughout the cigar.

It’s not a heavy blend and there is more of a balance between the caramelized and peppery flavors in mid-course. This is a dignified blend, self-assured and pleasant; its only fault is that it doesn’t call more attention to itself. But perhaps it is well suited for its place in the line: green, not mean.
Overall grade: B+: very good.

Graycliff Espresso:
[Black Label: available in 3 sizes]
Despite its Costa Rican-grown maduro wrapper and imposing black label, this is not a harsh cigar.

True, it has a bit of a peppery aroma and the taste is more strongly peppered than the red-labeled original blend, but there’s no bitterness. There’s even a hint of sweetness on the finish.

It’s full-bodied and very present in the mouth, leaving a distinct flavor of pepper on the throat of the smoker. Yet it has balance and the flavor is louder than the original blend, making it more attractive to those seeking a stronger taste.

Only introduced in 2004, this blend shows great potential for aging. One or two more years of rest and relaxation could bring out the latent sweetness in the oily maduro wrapper and make this cigar a sensation.
Overall grade: B: good.

Graycliff Grand Chateau:
[Purple Label: available in 3 sizes]
This is a new blend, offered for the first time at this year’s RTDA show, where it was very well received.

It’s easy to understand why, as these cigars showcase a friendly, pleasant taste of light caramel with just a hint of pepper on the throat. It’s a warm, hospitable flavor that’s easy and relaxed, just like The Bahamas. The aroma is also nice and toasty, again with just a hint of pepper.

The flavor becomes more balanced between caramel and pepper in mid-course, but it is never bitter or aggressive. It’s the warmest taste of the entire line and is certainly destined to be quite popular, although quite expensive.
Overall grade: A-: excellent.

Graycliff Profesionale:
[Blue Label: available in 9 sizes]
This is a remarkable cigar which exudes the true power of pepper from the first puff, but maintains a delicate balance away from bitterness and with secondary notes of sweetness.

The easy draw produces a large volume of smoke and the cigar can be overpowering if you take in too much of the peppery aroma. The peppery taste is present on the tongue right away, but it’s under control and there’s even a little sunshine at the end from a dark, rich sweetness on the long finish.

The contrast is soothing and interesting, full-bodied, but not harsh. The triumph is in the delicate balance of all of the tastes presented and the Profesionale has subtlety and class beyond all others in the Graycliff line.

Despite its power, it’s quite accessible . . . but not on an empty stomach! Enjoy it after a fine meal, and give it the time and attention it deserves.
Overall grade: A+: outstanding.

G2:
[Yellow Label: available in 3 sizes]
This blend is also new for 2005 and is far more modest in price than the regular Graycliff lines. But that does not mean that it is of lesser quality or interest.

It has only a modest aroma, showing off only a bit of spice. But the flavor is nicely caramelized, with the signature Graycliff throat-tickler of pepper coming in underneath. The flavors sing together in the second half and the pepper fully shares the stage towards the end.

This is a medium-bodied cigar and the flavors are not as bright as in some of the other blends. But it’s highly accessible and shares the enviable characteristics of quality in construction which mark all of the Graycliff lines.

The nice part is that the G2 has suggested retail prices from $7.00 to $9.75, less than half as much as some of its older brothers.
Overall grade: B+: very good.

Enrico Garzaroli set out to make outstanding cigars to share with his guests at Graycliff and he succeeded well beyond the needs of his world-class resort. With help from Lara and now son Paolo Garzaroli, Graycliff is well established as a line worth discovering – especially in a sampler or five-pack – and the memory of the quality of these cigars will remain long after the prices are forgotten.

Then again, unless you try the G2, you may never forget the price . . .
~ Rich Perelman

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