Piece Unique was a multiple year process from concept of the blend, branding, packaging design, and of course aging of the final production. When I first started blending the concept I wanted to ensure that this blend something truly unique.
It was an easy decision to head to Tabacalera La iSLA to partner with Hostos on this project, his factory and team know the standards I require from everything we do with them from Gellis Family Cigars, Warped, and DROP. He and his family have become family to me, so it only was right to bring this family brand project to him.
Currently I am at the office and decided I would write my experience of Piece Unique and share it all with you. Its always my favorite part of the project is when I can sit down and open a finished box like many retail shops around the world are doing right now for the first time, and fans of the brand as well. This allows me to see the project to “completion” as I would say, when I get to open the box, remove the cigar, take the cellophane off, and inspect it, cut and light. and simply enjoy.
Utilizing Grade 1 Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper from ASP, this is the real heart and center of Piece Unique. This bale was hand sourced by me specifically for this project, and took us awhile to hunt it down at their headquarters. Fillers encompass both Dominican Republic and Nicaragua with a Nicaraguan binder. Aged for 1 year in Spanish Cedar before being boxed to allow for the blend to fully come together and blossom.
The cold draw opens up with a great deal of cream, hay, vanilla, and dried fruit. Upon lighting you are greeted with a great deal of cream and sweetness, to a point that it coats the palate. The first 1/3 is filled with a complex level of spices (white pepper, cinnamon, and black pepper), vanilla, and that thick palate coating aspect from the the first draw remains. The retro is the real kicker here, the spice and weight really shines here, packs a small punch (for my blending style that is).
As you progress through Piece Unique, layers and complexity keep building. The spice levels are building with being balanced with the palate coating cream and vanilla. Sweetness is building, and something I would consider to be a sweet sponge cake texture on the palate. Woodiness is starting to build, cedar to be exact, a component of the extra aging in Spanish Cedar, which I am happy to see come into play. I believe the addition of the cedar with the increase of spice is playing very nicely and constantly evolving and interchanging. Smoke this slowly, to really enhance your experience, you don’t want to miss something.
It’s been a complex ride of flavors and textures on the palate. Spice levels have definitely increased and what is incredible to me is that that cream/vanilla combo stays right along with it. Woodiness has tapered a little bit and the end of this experience has come full burst with a definitive spice show. I am intrigued how this will develop in the years to come, will the spice level round out, will the blend develop more into the sweet and cream side? What about the fruit notes? I love making these notes to see when I revisit how the blend has evolved.
Thanks for reading through my experience of Piece Unique. If you are interested in experiencing this blend, please visit your local Gellis Family Authorized Retailer or click here to shop with us directly.
Cheers,
Kyle Gellis