Assessment Updates will be posted on this web-site to: 1) Assess “pre-review” cigars that were not given a rating or score (typically pre-release cigars); 2) Provide numeric ratings to cigars previously assessed prior to the implementation of the numeric scoring system; 3) Provide a re-assessment and re-score of previously assessed/score cigars.  Today, we provide a numerical score to the Quesada Oktoberfest 2012 Kaiser Ludwig. This is another vitola for a cigar we first did a pre-release sample of in July, 2012, and scored the Bavarian vitola in November 2012.

Quesada Oktoberfest 2012 – Kaiser Ludwig

The Oktoberfest 2012 Kaiser Ludwig was one of three new vitolas introduced in 2012 Quesada’s Oktoberfest series.  The Oktoberfest was originally launched at the 2011 IPCPR Trade Show.  The line ended up finishing as our #25 Cigar of the Year for 2011.  Since then, Quesada has turned the Oktoberfest line into an annual release – and plans are for it to come back again in 2013.   The Kaiser Ludwig is perhaps the most unique of the five vitals in that it is the only box-press shape of the blend.   Today we take a look and score the Kaiser Ludwig vitola from 2012 and see what this cigar brings to the table.

There were no changes to the blend architecture for the 2012 release of the Quesada Oktoberfest.  The cigar is a Dominican puro featuring a thick and oily wrapper from the Cibao Valley in the Dominican Republic.  As mentioned the 2012 release of the Oktoberfest increased the frontmarks int he line to five.  The three new additions were the Kaiser Ludwig (6 x 49 box-pressed Toro), Das Boot  6 x 52 belicoso), and Kurz (a 4 x 50 short robusto).  This joined the two returning vitolas from 2011: the Bavarian (5 1/2 x 52 robusto) and the Uber (6 x 65).  As mentioned this assessment update will focus on the Kaiser Ludwig.

It is perhaps the box-pressed Kaiser Ludwig that delivers the best flavor profile of the line.  While it parallels the other vitolas in the line, the Kaiser Ludwig still had a different feel to it.  The flavors consist of pepper, chocolate, raw honey, nut, and citrus.  With the Kaiser Ludwig, the honey notes seemed to blend in much earlier and the citrus notes played less of a role.   While I’ve said many times, I don’t subscribe to “pairing” a cigar with a spirit, the flavors with this cigar are something that I can see going with beer.  The flavors are medium to full-bodied and these balance very nicely against the medium to full strength of this cigar.

I’ve also found the Kaiser Ludwig to score the best in the line in terms of burn and draw.  Both were excellent.  In particular, the end of the Kaiser Ludwig seemed smoother and produced a firm, cool nub.

While this is the first time we discussed the Oktoberfest Kaiser Ludwig, click here for our pre-release sample of the Bavarian vitola , and how we scored it.

Assessment: Nice to Have
Score: 92

Source: The cigars for this Assessment Update were purchased from Jack Schwartz Cigars in Chicago, Illinois.