I attended a long-anticipated cigar rolling event at one of my three favorite tobacconists last week.  Unfortunately the genuine Cuban cigar roller had come down with the flu, so there was no rolling to be seen.  But the promoter had some fantastic deals -- and he recognized me from a previous event at one of my favorite haunts, 336 Main.  So he lavished me with special attention.  I walked out of there with a ton of free and highly-discounted cigars, one of which was this Fonseca.

I'm not normally the kind of guy who would smoke Fonsecas.  They're known to be mild to medium smokes, highly refined and elegant.  Plus, they're a bit on the expensive side.  But I decided to give this one a whirl; the promoter described it in glowing terms as the Fonseca Colorado, a new line with a true Colorado wrapper (the color, not hte state).  This line extension is aimed at moving Fonseca into the stronger cigar market, while keeping the Fonseca elegance intact.  It intrigued me; all the Fonsecas I'd ever seen had been clothed in ultra-light, Connecticut Shade wrappers -- and here was a darker, medium-brown, fuller-bodied cigar, but one with the prestigious Fonseca label. 

The cigar I selected from the line was the Fonseca Colorado 6-50, a classic toro size.  Retailing at $7.75, it sported two bands: the first, a standard gold, red and white Fonseca logo featuring the stylized "F"; and the second was below it, a plain red band with the word "Colorado" in fancy black script.  Very attractive, very classy.  The cigar itself didn't look like a Fonseca, but was darker and rosier than their standard or Vintage lines.  I would call this an EMS -- a true colorado.  It looked rather like a Punch -- it wasn't overly pretty but was obviously well-constructed.  The stick felt heavy and solid in the hand, and while still unlit, had a nice tobacco smell.

The cigar had a perfect draw.  The lightup was soft but I immediately noted a characteristically elegant Fonseca flavor.  My wife said, "Mmm!  That smells like toast!"  The initial flavor was more full than a typical mild cigar; I would describe it as being medium-bodied with plenty of good tobacco flavor.  Toasty and elegant.

Nutty, smooth and subtle, there may have been a balsawood component to the flavor.  The complexity increased as time went on.  This cigar certainly demands 100% of the smoker's time and attention; it's not one for the golf game, but rather, it is one for quiet and uninterrupted contemplation and relaxation.  The Fonseca Colorado 6-50 is milder than I would normally smoke, but is certainly robust enough for most cigar lovers.  The burn was good; not perfect, but okay.

At 35 minutes I removed 1-1/2" of mottled gray, compact ash.  The flavor had now become spicy.  Peppery.  More robust.  I thought to myself, "I like this cigar.  Would I have chosen it for myself if it weren't for the Cigar Journal?  Probably not.  But am I disappointed that I did?  Never!"  I was enjoying this smoke infinitely more than I had believed I would.  I was duly impressed by the quality of the blend.

As the stick neared the halfway point at around 40 minutes, the flavor was smooth, woody, and spicy.  This smoke was highly enjoyable -- interesting -- dare I say, fascinating!  Creamy and long, the finish was dominated by fresh wood and spice.  I perceived a sense of the finest hardwoods, fresh-sawn and aromatic.

At 55 minutes the stick entered its final third.  It was still smooth and was producing lots of fine flavor.  There were literally oodles of various flavor notes to explore, discern -- contemplate.

But alas! at 65 minutes the cigar was burning somewhat crooked.  Yet there was none of the usual harshness created by a less-than-perfect burn.  This was still an outstanding smoke.

At 70 minutes I began to feel the effect of nicotine; at 80 minutes, with 1-1/2" left, the flavor was now very, very full but its character had remained intact.  The spicy, long finish was immensely enjoyable.

I finally abandoned the stick after one and a half hours, for one reason only: too much nicotine.  At this point it was still not hot and was continuing to be enjoyable.  But the nicotine had gotten too much for me.  After finishing the cigar the flavor stayed with me for quite some time; the long, complex finish lingered, continuing to please.

This cigar is an excellent choice for fans of complex, medium-bodied cigars who also can devote their full attention to the cigar-maker's finest efforts.  I would not hesitate to declare the Fonseca Colorado 6-50 to be highly recommended.