Nicolás Valenzuela Voss
On this extremely humid day —accompanied by 28 degrees Celsius— I light a Noble Act One by Liz Santos, featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf Claro wrapper with almost a year of aging, cut with a Cigar Blondie guillotine. Adorned with a simple yet elegant band, the cigar displays impeccable construction with an oily and shiny wrapper.
Liz, along with her business partners Eddy Santos and Jon Gjebrea, founded Nóble Cigars and launched the Act collection in 2022, showcasing their commitment to quality and consistency. This line is complemented by Act Two, a San Andrés Doble Ligero wrapped cigar, and Intermission, a recently launched Sumatra Ecuador-wrapped cigar.
Read in the magazine (rotate your device for a better reading experience):
Returning to Act One, the first puffs deliver powerful leather and pepper notes, perfectly pairing with the sweetness of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey chosen for the occasion. Cedar appears, and the whiskey makes the smoke feel creamier on the palate.
This is followed by slightly citrus notes, plenty of wood, and some bitter chocolate; in the finish, a hint of white pepper can be sensed at the back of the tongue. The retro hale aroma is predominantly floral with a slight mineral quality. Although not extremely mild, this cigar is perfect for starting the day, as its clean smoke allows for the enjoyment of other cigars throughout the afternoon and evening.
Towards the end of the first third, cocoa, chocolate, and wood notes become more pronounced, while the white pepper fades. In the retro hale aroma, the wood notes become more evident, and a strong taste of licorice and cedar develops on the sides of the tongue.
My eldest son plays while I record these impressions and asks me why I talk about chocolate if it’s not chocolate. I explain that as you smoke, the tobacco provides flavors that remind you of chocolate, similar to what happens with wines, specialty coffees, or liqueurs… it’s something wonderful. “And why do you stop tasting flavors?” he continues. Well, because the cigar evolves and changes, I tell him, but he still doesn’t understand and prefers to return to his game.
The caramel and vanilla from the Bourbon complement the cigar’s woody notes very well, which now take on some astringency. It is a well-balanced cigar, but not for a beginner; rather, it is suited for someone who is already a smoker.
As the second third progresses, almond and nut notes emerge, along with one my friend Diego Urdaneta mentions: Graham cracker, which in Mexico are Marías cookies; those that are crushed with butter to make pies, and taste of vanilla but are not overly sweet. A note like lemon peel also appears, which induces salivation, a plus for me because it makes the cigar light, with a short finish that leaves the mouth clean for the next puff… or cigar.
Although Act One and Act Two are manufactured with Dominican tobaccos, they have a character closer to Nicaraguan cigars, albeit with more balance. That is to say, they have Nicaragua’s power but the balance of the Dominican Republic.
As the second third ends, I pair the smoke with orange juice to debunk the myth that cigars do not go well with citrus beverages. It complements the cigar well, making the smoke lighter, cleaning the mouth, eliminating the peppery note, and allowing the wood flavors to emerge slowly, extending the cigar’s finish.
In the final third, spicy notes return, and the wood becomes rougher, more rustic, with a bitter touch reminiscent of peanut shells.
Nóble Act One is an excellent choice for a mid-morning cigar, with an engaging evolution. Its flavors are classic, yet they are clearly defined and allow for easy pairing.
