My name is Agent 8. My mission was to review the Cain F . As an asset of The Cigar Spy agency, I promise to respect the A.S.H.E.S. code of honor. The information below is my debrief.

Target Name:
Cain F

Target Vitals:

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Ligero
Binder: Nicaraguan Ligero
Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero (from the Esteli, Condega & Jalapa regions)
Vitola: 6 x 54 Torpedo (654T)
Strength: Full Bodied
Duration: 2:20:00
Average Price: Around $6 to $8 for single cigars; $150 to $175 per box of 24.

Background Info:
Sam Leccia, famous for his work with the Cain and Nub cigar lines, introduced the Cain F in limited quantities last year. Sam began a Cain F national tour in March of this year. Among the Cain offerings highlighted in the tour are the unreleased Cain F Nub, a marriage of the construction of the Cain Ligero plus the popular, unique size of the Nub. The “F” stands for fuerte, or strong in Spanish.

Mission Debrief:
It’s no secret that I am a fan of Sam Leccia’s work, whether that be on the Nubs or with the Cain cigar line. When I started hearing all the buzz last year about the Cain F, I naturally went to my local B&M’s first to check them out. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until a few months ago I started seeing these cigars locally. Needless to say, I was happy to get my hands on a few of these for interrogation purposes.

Besides a small cuff found in the slightly veiny and oily wrapper, I didn’t find any issues with the appearance or build of the cigar. Also nothing in the way of a scent or aroma of the cigar pre light. Nothing left to do but cut the cigar and get to burning.

Giving the cigar a steady burn from wooden matches (mostly because I am out of butane), the Cain F started out with an easy going balanced draw, with slight hints of pepper and spice right at the onset. Those subtle hints of pepper and spice were a nice touch, considering that it was much less than other Nicaraguan cigars that I have smoked in the past. Despite that, this is still a full-bodied smoke, but I think with how Sam blends the tobaccos, he is able to control how much of that kick-to-the-chest ligero flavor will affect someone. Expect that pepper and spice to relax among the flavors after 15 or 20 minutes, leaving you with a smooth, full bodied flavor. As long as you give this cigar plenty of time to burn slowly, it will burn hot and bitter on you.

The burn on the Cain F was fine. A couple of minor burn corrections to keep a completely even burn, but nothing that would give pause for consideration. I got both thick smoke and a tight, white ash from the cigar. Both always appreciated in anything that I smoke. While the Cain F didn’t hit me nearly as hard as the Cain Habano, bear in mind that this is still a full-bodied smoke and should have a longer finish on your palette.

Final Analysis:
I recently split a box of these with my best friend, so that should tell you my opinion on them. The Cain F have become my favorite of the Cain line, giving me that full bodied flavor, but much smoother than from the Cain Habano and Maduro lines. If you see these out at your local B&M, do not hesitate to pick these up.

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