It isn’t much of a secret to anyone that I’m a fan of expensive cigars. If you tell me that someone made a limited-edition cigar that I won’t be able to find ever again if I don’t get some right there and then, I’m all over it. I love the serene wrappers, the beautifully embossed bands, and the overly detailed and pricy boxes. Now, you may be asking yourself: Is the Mark Twain Memoir one of these incredible, rare, and beautiful premiums this guy is droning on about? The answer is a resounding no. 

 The Mark Twain Memoir regularly sells for $4 apiece, making it a budget-friendly banger. Obviously, not my typical suspect, but it can’t hurt to try and find some new cigars that won’t empty my bank account on a weekly basis. The wrapper leaf is far from perfect, with not-so-tight seems and a few blemishes. With a quick straight cut and a slow toast from my Xikar Meridian, the Memoir is on its way. 

 Strength starts off at a true medium. Notes of earth, soft pepper, a light cocoa, and unidentified woodiness. I have to hand it to this cigar; it isn’t at all what I expected. With a plethora of Nicaraguan leaves within combined with a Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper, I expected an overpowering mishmash of unharmonious flavors. What I got, however, is a much better experience. The first third is surprisingly enjoyable, and while it doesn’t have the punch I was initially expecting, the notes that are there work wonderfully together. An impressive start. 

 The burn isn’t exactly what I’d call razor sharp, but it more or less corrects itself over time. As the second third begins, strength amps up just a bit. The pepper amps up and the woodiness takes a backseat to the cocoa and earthiness. The burn keeps ebbing and flowing, without need of a single touchup. After purging it to try and burn off any excess tar, even more intensity begins to build as I move into the final third. 

 The strength just keeps moving up and up with every puff. Like I said before, this is far from the most complex cigar I’ve ever had, but the notes that are there pack quite the punch. For just $4 a piece, and regularly discounted, this might just be one of my next regular humidor stuffers. It may not use the rarest tobaccos, have the highest quality, or look the prettiest, but it’s hard to beat the burn, draw, and flavor that accompanies the Mark Twain Memoir. If you haven’t tried it, be sure to pick a few up soon. I promise they won’t empty your wallet.