Stogie Reviews: EO Murcielago Belicoso

Back in November, I wrote a Quick Smoke of Murcielago, one of this summer’s most anticipated releases. Now, after burning through about a quarter box of this new line from Eddie Ortega, Erik Espinosa, and Don Pepin Garcia, I am pleased to present a more thorough review.

Murcielago was one of two new blends introduced by United Tobacco at the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans (the other being the Cubao Maduro). According to the text printed on the tissue paper inside my box, its name—“bat” in Spanish—honors the often misunderstood creature that fertilizes tequila-producing agave plants in Mexico. “No bats, no tequila,” it reads.

Why link this cigar to Mexico and tequila? Well, the five-vitola Murcielago blend is predominantly Mexican in makeup with a San Andreas maduro wrapper and a Mexican binder. The filler tobaccos are Nicaraguan.

When the production of this blend was announced in July, Espinosa said in a press release that “the cigars were better than Eddie and I hoped for.” That struck a chord with many cigar enthusiasts who have grown to love the handful of blends United Tobacco has created since the company was founded in 2003.

Murcielago stands out among them in both name and appearance. The Belicoso (5.5 x 52) is slightly box-pressed with a smooth, dark, and rich-looking exterior leaf, accented by a red and black band. Moderately firm from head to foot, it exudes pungent pre-light notes of powdered cocoa and compost.

This cigar’s makers say Murcielago is supposed to be “medium- to full-bodied.” I think that’s about right, though fans of bold sticks should note that its thick smoke has more smoothness than strength. The chalky profile tastes of nuts, espresso, and leather with little variation throughout.

While this flavor is interesting, it isn’t as captivating as I hope it will become with some age. Otherwise, the young EO Murcielago Belicoso is an excellent smoke with above average physical properties. It’s a good value at $9-10 apiece and worthy of four stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys