Asylum 13 Medulla Oblongata Maduro

Continuing the Asylum tradition of interesting, innovative cigars and packaging is the Asylum 13 Medulla Oblongata Maduro. The Maduro is a followup to the Asylum 13 Medulla Oblongata, which was reviewed by Cigar Dojo in 2017 (later going on to claim the no. 7 cigar of the year ranking). The packaging and overall concept is the same, featuring a 50-count box that is split into 25 box-pressed cigars (Oblongata) and 25 that aren’t box-pressed (Medulla). In human anatomy, the medulla oblongata connects the spinal cord to the brain, with this particular cigar using the theme to play off of the brain’s split hemispheres.

Asylum 13 “Oblongata” 50 x 5 Breakdown

The original Medulla Oblongata was a Honduran puro; however, the Maduro substitutes a San Andrés wrapper in place of the Honduran wrapper of its predecessor. For this review, I will be smoking the Oblongata (box-pressed version) in the “50 x 5” robusto format. For reference, the five sizes included in the lineup are listed below:

Appearance

The 50 x 5 Oblongata size has a pretty pronounced, rectangular shape to the box press. The edges are practically sharp to the touch and the cigar almost feels like a harmonica (why not?) in the hand—a vacuum-sealed look, if you will. There is a rice paper covering wrapped around the bottom half of the cigar (this is brown in color, differing from the white used on the original cigar), displaying the word “OBLONGATA.”

While the foot shows clear aromas of leather, the wrapper leans more towards manure and musk. There are pronounced notes of dried fruit on the pre-light draw.

Smoking Experience

The first few puffs have this citrus flavor, as notes of fruit mix with dark chocolate and some kick on the retrohale. This might be a stretch, but this fruity kick reminds me of a rum candy my grandfather used to eat called Jamaica Rumbonen or Rum Beans (essentially a rum cordial). It is a very dessert-like cigar early on, having a complex sweetness and long-lasting finish. About an inch in, there is a bit of a sour note that is met with some cinnamon and coffee. Oblongata thus far is a medium-bodied, medium-strength cigar.

The Oblongata is a bit of a double puffer, meaning you have to try a little harder to produce some smoke. Moving past the first third, most of the fruity notes have dissipated, which is slightly disappointing because I really enjoyed the start to the cigar. Some of the chocolate from the start of the cigar reappears intermittently, but it’s more of a bitter chocolate, like a 75% dark chocolate. Leather notes start to emerge as we progress and there is some serious musk on the retrohale—rich, earthy smoke and dark fruit are the primary components. The flavor profile is less delicate and has more strength to it as the profile begins to unfold. This portion of the cigar is more gruff, like a Western film; which is in contrast to the heart-warming characteristics of the cigar’s start. Most of the sweetness has left and the earthy flavor is met with some anise. The strength and body have both kicked up a notch, being roughly medium-plus.

In the home stretch, the cigar has some of the same heightened strength and body, with a very leathery quality. The profile is darker overall, swapping sweetness for a toasty, sometimes charred nature. The draw is still a bit tight, but the construction overall was very good. A dark, syrupy quality develops as I get past the band; it is a bit of a mixture between the sweetness of the first half and the dark, stronger nature of second half.

Would I Smoke This Cigar Again?

I would smoke the Oblongata Maduro again. The cigar’s beginning has some very interesting qualities, showing the richness you would expect from a maduro blend of this nature. The construction and flavors were there, combining with a cheap enough price point to make for an occasional purchase.

• The construction of the Oblongata was very solid, never once requiring a touchup.
• The incredibly firm box-press might have contributed to a slightly tight draw, which was my only issue as far as construction was concerned.
• This tight pack may have stopped the flow of smoke slightly and I would be interested to see how the Medulla-shaped version of this cigar compares.

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