Foundry Rare Air ET-P2

30 Dec 2014 • Posted by Jack • Foundry • 4189 views

I have reviewed a few Foundry cigars over the past couple of years and they continue to surprise me. Every cigar from their rather hush-hush catalog has been unique and enjoyable. This year saw a slew of new releases from General Cigar's boutique arm, and the subject of this review is one of their best. I am too anxious to talk, so let's get smoking....

Construction: So dark an oily you can see yourself in the wrapper leaf, slightly lumpy, with a few veins, the ET-P2 is actually a pretty cigar with a rustic feel. Since the tobacco was grown from 1960 seed, that makes some sense.

Pre-light Aroma and Draw: Out of the cellophane, I get a very powerful musty leather, malt, and minty note. The first hint of uniqueness to come. Draw is nice and open and a cold pull gives a creamy sweet flavor.

Light and Burn: The ET-P2 burns well and self-corrects most issues.

Tasting: Right off the bat you will notice the unique flavor of this cigar. Meaty notes, very slight pepper, and a simply delicious creamy leather and earth core. I have only found two other cigars out there with a similar profile - more on that later. Strength is medium-full and It begs to be smoked very slowly. The creamy almost musty leather and earth are very dominant and it speaks the words - vintage tobacco - with every puff.

As the middle of the cigar begins the creamy leathery core picks up a very nice chocolate sweetness - like a cup of rich hot chocolate, actually. There is a spice on the palate too but it isn't overdone - just enough to make you notice it. One thing I can say about this specific Rare Air is consistency. Not one dud in the fistful I have smoked. Again, I consider this a very unique cigar. I am sitting in a shop with over 1000 different brands on their shelves and there are only three cigars with this profile in the entire place. What are they? I'm glad you asked. In addition to this Foundry they are The Ashton Aged Maduro and the Gurkha Cellar Reserve Maduro. The creaminess really kicks in here too with a nice red pepper finish.

The final third pumps up the chocolate notes a bit and the earth moves over the leather as the dominant core note - but that creamy texture is still there and it continues to keep things interesting. With notes of black cherry, faint cinnamon, and vanilla, the ET-P2 finishes off in style.

Value: At just shy of $10 the Rare Air lineup is one of the more expensive Foundry products - but well worth every cent.

Final Thoughts: It should be easy to see that I love this cigar. In a world full of similar cigars, finding one that is so different is always a treat. As I have said before, Foundry has found a way to bring a very affordable line to the cigar industry that is truly unique. The only criticism I can bring to the table is the band....or lack thereof. The Rare Air line sports a strip of copy paper showing the letter-name of the cigar....that's it. I guess it helps keep the price down, but when you have something this good, it should be decorated accordingly. Anyway, without question, I highly recommend this cigar.

Wrapper: Some unknown oscuro maduro looking thing
Binder: No idea
Filler: Not a clue

Strength: Medium-full

Size: 5.5 x 49