The start of the Diesel Whiskey Row Sherry Cask’s second third has me thinking of a very light chocolate flavor, not overly sweet or bitter, and not coating the palate, but still present. I find it an interesting flavor given how the company positioned what the goal of the barrel aging was intending to do, as I have only had fleeting suggestions at the honey, vanilla and molasses notes that were said to be the results of the aging process. There’s a good bit of pepper through the nose on retrohales, with the sensation having escaped any effects from the sherry casks as it is bright and results in a tingling of the nostrils. This new combination unpacks what had been a somewhat tight flavor in the first third while also nudging it up the strength scale a bit, stopping short of medium-full but eyeing it closely. The cigar begins to get more robust as it approaches the midway point, as what touches of chocolate had been present earlier fade and clear the way for a rocky earth to join the profile as part of a battle with the dry woods for the leading role. The technical performance is still quite good with nothing of note detracting from the cigar.