Espinosa 601 La Bomba Warhead IX

📌 Brand: Espinosa
📌 Line: 601 La Bomba – Warhead
📌 Size: Figurado (6" × 56)
📌 Weight: 17.4 g
📌 Age: 2 years
📌 Origin: Nicaragua

Tasting Notes

• Dark Chocolate – Thick, heavy sweetness

• Black Pepper – Explosive spice on retrohale

• Charred Oak – Deep, smoky backbone

• Molasses – Slow-building sweetness beneath the strength

First Impressions

Warhead IX has that signature broadleaf look — dark, toothy, and oily. Aroma is bold with chocolate, pepper, and deep earth. Cold draw is perfect, offering rich dark sweetness and pepper pops.

Smoking Experience

• First Third – Instant pepper blast followed by heavy chocolate and charred oak. Slight burn waviness starts early but is manageable.

• Second Third – Strength ramps. Molasses sweetness appears, adding balance. Burn needs a touch-up but never collapses.

• Final Third – Dark, heavy, full-throttle body. Pepper returns aggressively. Burn steadies but remains imperfect.

Pairings

• Alcohol – BenRiach Smoky Ten Single Malt Scotch - Stone fruit sweetness, gentle smoke, and honeyed depth complement the Warhead’s dark, spicy intensity without drowning it.

• Tea – Assam Mangalam Black Tea - Bold body, malty sweetness, and subtle spice — perfect for taming and balancing the cigar’s strength.

Music Pairing

“Oblivion” – Mastodon
Heavy, layered, and powerful — matching the Warhead’s full-throttle profile.

Final Thoughts

The Espinosa Warhead IX is bold, rich, and unapologetically powerful — a spice bomb with real depth and sweetness. Slight burn issues appear but never derail the experience. A strong, satisfying smoke for full-bodied lovers.

Final Score: 9/10
Why not a 10?
Minor burn issues and slight waviness kept it from absolute perfection.

Only cigars that deliver flawless draw, balance, flavour evolution, construction and satisfaction get a 10.