Welcome back to another review! It’s Sunday, the sun is out and I have some lamb in the Weber for a 6hr braising… seems like an ideal time to try out the MASSIVE cigar that is the
This cigar looks massive! I’m a big fan of the CAO Big Block which is 7×70 but this at 8×66 just looks heaps bigger!
Here’s a photo with a banana for scale…
The Big Johnny is part of The Leaf range and has been getting rave reviews, much like everything else by Oscar! Lets take a look at the stick itself
| Brand | Leaf by Oscar |
| Size | 8”x66 |
| Strength | Medium |
| Wrapper | Nicaraguan Jalapa Maduro |
| Binder | Honduras |
| Filler | Honduras |
So on the surface it looks fairly similar to the Leaf Maduro, I’m sure to make the size work there are some differences but let’s get into the smoking and see how it stacks up!
| Construction | 9/10 |
| Draw | 9/10 |
| Burn | 8/10 |
| Complexity | 7/10 |
| Flavour | 9/10 |
| Duration | 3h8m |
Construction and Burn
I’m amazed that someone can roll a cigar this big as well as this is rolled. The burn is good, little crazy early on, but hey it’s a big cigar so it’s got its work cut out. The cigar held its shape well, at approx 2h45m it began to fall apart a little bit but it was still smokable.
Draw
Remarkably good draw for a stick of its size! With the CAO Big Block, it’s a hard slog, to begin with as there is so much tobacco to draw through but this is a bit looser making it draw well throughout.
Flavour and Complexity
Not overly complex but a nice group of flavours. Mostly cocoa and earth with a subtle sweetness underlying throughout.
Overall
Pretty damn happy with this cigar. When it comes to sticks this size it’s always a wonder if they are made as a gimmick or to actually be enjoyed and it’s safe to say this is one to enjoy. Not the type of cigar you light up if you’re in a hurry but if you have time to sit and relax and enjoy your day then this is a great option!
