Villiger Cuellar Black Forest Robusto

The Villiger Cuellar Black Forest Robusto is manufactured by Villiger Cigars at the Tabacalera Palma factory in the Dominican Republic. Villiger Cigars has been a family owned Swiss company since 1888 with distribution in both Europe and America. To be more specific, Villiger Cigars North America is the premium cigar division of Switzerland’s Villiger Söhne AG, one of the world’s largest producers of machine-made cigars.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Villiger Cuellar Black Forest Robusto
  • Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
  • Binder: Dominican
  • Filler: Dominican
  • Size: 5×48

Appearance & Construction

The cigar is a super flat box-pressed cigar.  It is packed on the looser side.  The filler tobacco shows some gaps.  It has a nice dark chocolate colored maduro wrapper with a double cap. The cigar is toothy and rustic looking to the eye.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The cigar has a cedary aroma to it. The cold draw is very loose with a super-sharp spicy cedar on the breath.

The cigar toasts and lights in a matter of seconds. No hesitation whatsoever.

The first third has very faint flavors at combustion.  There is some cedar and spice present, similar to the cold draw. It handles the heat very well for a lightly packed cigar.  The cigar gives off a very chocolatey aroma, with a peppery retro hale.  So far it is very pleasant.

The second third is still very airy in body.  However, it continues to maintain good heat and burns consistent with lots of smoke production.  There are some developing forward-notes of coffee with a spicy finish.  The aroma is still chocolatey with a retrohale reminiscent of fresh baked bread. As it burns, there are bolder flavors of hazelnuts and leather, with a fruity finish.

The last third stays very singular in flavor.  Not much change.  More spice, fruit, and cedar.  The burn maintains its phenomenal performance and smoke production.  There is a BBQ aroma coming off the foot. The retro is more faint now, but it helps enhance an espresso nuance that is present.

The finish is harsh with hazelnuts and wine oak.  The cigar burns hot and makes a poor exit.

Conclusion

The Villiger Cuellar Black Forest Robusto is best described as a cigar you would give to a novice smoker who is just getting the hang of spicier and/or more peppery cigars. For a tiny smoke, it has some nuance and body, but not too much.  It is not intimidating, and smokes with ideal obedience.  The Villiger Cuellar Black Forest Robusto is a fool-proof smoke I would definitely pass along to someone beginning their cigar journey who needs a reference point in the maduro category. Enjoy!

Final Score: 80

Michael Carfagna: For 20+ years, Michael has been a cigar smoker and wine drinker, and takes a lot of pride in the palate he has acquired. He feels that drinking and smoking are the two best vices a man could ever have. Michael currently passes the time as an assistant wine and cider maker for two of the biggest names in the New York natural wine scene, as well as working a few shifts at an established Westchester cigar lounge. He can most likely be found sipping on something bubbly and firing up a Nicaraguan puro after a hard days work...and sometimes on-the-job, if no one is looking. As an avid reader and writer, Michael is very appreciative of the team at Fine Tobacco NYC for the opportunity to join the blind review panel.