Cigar Reviews

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Blind Review: Illusione Allegria Robusto

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The Illusione Allegria Robusto are made by Illusione Cigars which is owned and operated by Dion Giolito. They are manufactured in Aganorsas’ world renowned factory in Nicaragua known as Agricola Ganadera Norteña S.A., the factory formerly known as TABSA.  Allegria is actually known as the “sister” line to the famous Illusione OneOff brand.  A Nicaraguan puro as well, they differ when it comes to the tobacco blend and are meant to be stronger by introducing higher leaf primings.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Illusione Allegria Robusto
  • Wrapper: Corojo ’99
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Size: 5 x  52

Appearance & Construction

The cigar wears a heavily striated and blotchy colorado wrapper over a tightly packed body. The cigar is triple capped and comfortable in the hand.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The cigar wrapper smells like straw bales and the foot smells like cedar.

The cigar has a great loose draw with faint cedar and spice on the breath.

The cigar toasts well under a single flame torch, yet gives me some trouble combusting.

First puff is very spicy and toasty.  The first third is completely dominated by toast, pepper, and leather.  The cigar has a great draw as mentioned.  It hold the heat well, with a flawless burn line and great smoke production.  I am also getting a nice nicotine buzz right-off-the-bat as well.

The second third is still dominated by a strong backbone of black pepper, with some savory and sweet notes.  It’s like tangy burnt Starbucks coffee with a “pump” of whatever fake go-go juice they offer during the holidays.  The cigar however, was not self-correcting a minor canoe burn that ended up being a major issue.  Though I’ve only raved about the loose draw up until now, the cigar needs more then just a “sip” to keep the party going. Moving on, the cigar develops a very woody profile with some marshmallow as well.  The wrapper leaf also rarely burns in tandem with the filler.  Shame….

Last third opens up with another canoe in the burn line. This only adds to the heat maintenence issue I began to deal with at the half way mark.  The cigar tastes like burnt toast and hazelnuts.  When the cigar remains its cool and collected nature it is sweet and even reminiscent of a Padron 2000 maduro.  A little purging of the cigar goes a long way.  However, the cigar struggled to maintain heat, and all my efforts to keep up with the mess seemed to only punish my tongue.

Conclusion

What appeared to be a powerful flavor bomb of a smoke fell pray to many construction issues.  The Illusione Allegria Robusto -from the start- I would have pegged to be a 90+ smoke, but it was more a tale of two cigars. The cigar filler VS. the cigar wrapper.  The funny thing is I had treated myself to a mail-call a few weeks ago of several 2022 releases with the Illusione Allegria Robusto being included in the shipment.  It came in perfectly humidified condition, just like the blind one I just smoked, and I remember tossing it after the second third for the same handful of issues.  As an Illusione fanboy who is also partly Spaniard and grew up with a lot of Flamenco in my home, I hate to give the Illusione Allegria Robusto the cold shoulder.  Maybe some other time I guess…Enjoy!

Final Score: 80

Blind Review: Casa 1910 Cuchillo Parado

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The Casa 1910 Cuchillo Parado is manufactured for Casa 1910 Cigars at an undisclosed factory in San Andrés Tuxtla in the state of Veracruz. The company owner is not known, however, the master blender is Juan Manuel Santiago Casillas, better known as Manolo Santiago, who worked as a marketing manager for Importadora y Exportadora de Puros y Tabacos S.A. de C.V. The Casa 1910 Cuchillo Parado is a Mexican puro and is named after a town in the sate of Chihuahua, Mexico where the Mexican Revolution began.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Casa 1910 Cuchillo Parado
  • Wrapper: Mexican Sumatra (3 years aged)
  • Binder: San Andreas (5 years aged)
  • Filler: San Andreas
  • Size: 5 x 50

Appearance & Construction

The cigar is wearing a very light and papery wrapper that almost reminds me of cellophane. A little hard on the eyes. It is a sturdily packed robusto with a triple cap.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The cigars wrapper smells like chocolate as well as on the foot.

The cold draw is decent with dank cedar on the breath that reminds me of opening my garage in the summer after a rain storm.

The cigar toasts well but takes its time to combust.

First puff is very light on the tongue with cedar and honey.  There is some pepper as it heats up with notes of cocoa and a little bit of a metallic backbone to the smoke. The cigar has fantastic heat maintenance so far with a straight burn line.  Smoke production is perfect with lots of savory, tangy, and citrusy notes full spectrum.

The second third is marked with leather, cocoa, and strawberry hard candy on the finish.  There is also a faint marshmallow note.  The cigar has a solid ash build up, until it breaks off with a honeycomb.  I guess I’ve been enjoying the smoke too much.  Just when you think your the slowest smoker alive…I guess this cigar is truly meant to be “sipped” on.

The last third, is leathery, woody, and earthy. It can get harsh at times, but not as harsh as a more full bodied smoke, which this is not. There is espresso, but no bitterness on the tongue. I am still getting lots of leather and cedar on the aroma and retro as well.

Conclusion

The Casa 1910 Cuchillo Parado was actually a cigar I had been meaning to try and I’m glad it lived up to the hype.  As an assistant wine maker, a puro cigar is the equivalent to a single varietal wine from a distinct wine region. I prefer puros above all else, and hope they find more US market share in this current cigar boom, since they seem to fair well in European cigar markets. The Casa 1910 Cuchillo Parado reminded me a lot of the lighter bodied puros that Curivari Cigars offer, namely the Grand Cru, Gloria De Leon, and EL Gran Rey.  My only problem with this smoke is the $15 MSRP.  The Curivari cigars I mentioned are half the price. However, if youre looking to give Mexican Sumatran seed wrapper a try and are curious about how smooth San Andreas can be outside of its current maduro exploitation on the shelves, I would totally recommend you give the Casa 1910 Cuchillo Parado a try.  Enjoy!

Final Score: 90

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Blind Review: Los Statos Deluxe Robusto

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The Los Statos Deluxe Robusto is manufactured by General Cigar Company at their HATSA, SA factory in Danli, Honduras and is distributed by Scandinavian Tobacco Groups subsidiary Forged Cigar Co.  Los Statos Deluxe, historically was of pre-embargo Cuban fame until it lay dormant for years only to be registered in the new world market as a medium+ value smoke.  Since not only having his brand, Room 101 Cigars, acquired -but also being hired as STG’s creative director- Matt Booth sought to reimagine the Los Statos Deluxe brand for todays consumer.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Los Statos Deluxe Robusto
  • Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
  • Binder: Nicaraguan
  • Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan
  • Size: 5 x 50

Appearance & Construction

The cigar is a simple single cap chocolate maduro robusto with a hard rustic profile.  The cigar is packed solid and is very lightweight in hand.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The wrapper smells sweet with chocolate and cedar on the foot.

The cigar has a loose draw with cedar and spice on the breath.

The cigar toasts and combusts ideally.

At first puff the cigar has very deep and dark impressions of wood and black coffee that is both spicy and sweet.  The loose draw on the cigar, keeps me on guard when it comes to heat maintenance, but is a none issue.  The burnline is razor sharp with fantastic smoke production.  It is full bodied on the tongue with billowing mahogany and pepper. The aroma is leather, and the retro is toasted bread. A little touch up was needed for some minor wrapper detachment but self-corrected beautifully.

The second third surprises me when the so-far sturdy ash build up suddenly drops to the ground. However, the burnline stays flawless and the cigar hold its temperature immaculately. The cigar is a thick and rich smoking experience.  It grips your tongue with hot cocoa and throat tingling spice. I’m not complaining, but it can dry your mouth out at times.  Stay hydrated! Across the board, the cigar also picks up a floral and perfumey characteristic with more leather on the aroma, and toast on the retro.

Last third picks up the pace with a nice comforting fireplace nuance on the tongue. There is lots of toast, leather, and sweet perfume throughout. The cigar can also be zesty and citrusy at times. The ash build up becomes a little flaky, but holds on strong and does its job.  A nice steady smoke.

Conclusion

Now after 20+ years of being in this cigar game, who would have thought one my highest rated cigars to date would have been blended by none other then Matt Booth.  The Los Statos Deluxe Robusto was a job well done.  Bar none.  I have nothing bad to say about the cigar.  It was a work horse of a robusto, and though it has the same tobacco blend as the Sancho Panza cigars that I poorly rated, the Los Statos Deluxe met all the marks I look for in a medium-full smoke. Those at Fine Tobacco NYC, have long known that I am not a fan of Room 101 and their branding. Though me and Matt Booth share the same love for writing smut and expanding upon the art of conversation with uncomfortable yet artfully placed adjectives and nouns, I had for years refused to smoke even one of his offerings.  When it comes to the Los Statos Deluxe Robusto, haters need to sit the fuck down!  I had a very enjoyable time smoking this cigar.  Yes, this past year has been hard on my cigar addiction and gas prices have robbed me of my weekly Plasencia and Padron habits. I have often wondered if working in some bundle-smokes in my rotation had actually changed my palate for the worse? Maybe even made me a poor reviewer. Who knows?! All I can say is, if your a strong broadleaf fan like myself, Matt Booth damn near convinced me Ecuador Sumatra can somehow quench that thirst similarly. He also managed to do it all for $8. I need not apologize any more for this high rating.  I believe in ghosts and UFO’s.  Elvis is still alive! I was there! I know what I saw! Enjoy!

Final Score: 93

Blind Review: Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue No. 1

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The Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue No. 1 is produced for Tatuaje Cigars by My Father Cigars at their factory in Nicaraugua.  Further more, the Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue No. 1 utilizes all Nicaraguan tobacco that the Garcia family grows personally on their own farms in Nicaragua.  The blend is another extentison to the Tatuaje Havana VI line and is currently only offered in two sizes: a toro and robusto extra.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue No. 1
  • Wrapper: Shade Grown Nicaraguan Corojo
  • Binder: Nicaraguan
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Size: 6 1/4 x 52

Appearance & Construction

The cigar is softly packed and triple capped.  It is dressed in a speckled natural wrapper.  It isnt toothy, but it has the appearance of a finished sidewalk.  The cigar looks tough.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The body of the cigar smells like raisins and straw.  Very farmy on the nose.

It has a decent cold draw with lots of cedar on the breath.

The cigar toasts and lights very quickly and efficiently.

Lots of wood and choclate greet me at first puff. It has lots of salt and pepper with a choclatey aroma and a salty retro. The biggest take away is steak and onions- VERY SAVORY! The cigar has a sturdy ash build-up.  There is a nice sweetness on the backend of every puff.  Smoke production could be better as well as heat maintence.  You have to employ a steady double draw to keep things in motion.

At the second third the ash breaks off naturaly and reveal a very icy white ash that I’ve never seen before on the inside of a lit cigar.  It reminds me of husky fur or fresh snow.  The cigar is transitioning into a very light bodied smoke that can still be savory at times, but really holds this very enjoyable sweetness. The aroma is also very sweet, the retrohale is leathery.  Smoke prodution picks up a little bit more, but the draw is a little shallow and the heat maintence is still at an all time low.

On the way to the last third I’ve had to touch up the cigar a couple times. The wrapper leaf is also a little detached.  After a couple more touch ups the draw opens up even more, offering a little more relief to what tastes like a fantastic lightweight smoke but is not performing up to code.  The flavors, aroma, and retrohale are all the same.  Its very linear. The heat maintence is still lacking. The sweetness is still lingering with a coffee note added into tthe mix.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue No. 1 was phenominal.  It has the potential to be the NEW light smoke on the scene that will make you throw out your old golf course Connecticuts.  Yes, it scored an 80, because the construction made it a huge pain-in-the-ass to smoke, but I do see that Tatuaje also offers the Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue No. 1 in a robusto.  I will most likely be picking that robusto up this week to kick tires a little bit more, simply becuase I have recently been very impressed with the flavor profile that shade grown corojo can produce.  Enjoy!

Final Score: 80

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Blind Review: Sancho Panza Double Maduro Robusto

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The Sancho Panza Double Maduro Robusto is manufactured by General Cigar Company at their HATSA, SA factory in Danli, Honduras.  Sancho Panza is a world renowned Cuban value brand, whose trademark was also registered in the USA in 1981.  Sancho Panza was recently revamped in 2022 under Scandinavian Tobacco Groups’ new creative director, Matt Booth, of Room 101 Cigars.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Sancho Panza Double Maduro Robusto
  • Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
  • Binder: Nicaraguan (Esteli)
  • Filler: Dominican and Nicaragaun
  • Size: 5 x 50

Appearance & Construction

The cigar is a sturdy well built maduro robusto.  It dons a double cap and is draped in a veiny rustic wrapper leaf.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The body of the cigar smells of chocolate.  It has a good cold draw with cedar and hot chocolate on the breath.

It takes a while for the cigar to toast, but combusts quickly.

At first puff the smoke is cedary and salty with a popcorn finish.  The cigar has a very toasty retro.  Lots of thick smoke production.  There is a noticeable graham cracker aroma off the foot of the cigar.  As the cigar heats up, my palate fills with pepper.  It handles the heat quite well.  The ash build-up is flaky.

As it progresses, there are beautiful nuances of cinnamon, clove, and wood.  Smoke production is stellar and leaves a creamy mouth feel, with a confectionary aroma.  The cigar develops a very leathery retrohale that is both savory and sweet. The ash build-up stiffens and looks flawless.

On the second third, the body completely drops out of the cigar.  The smoking experience is still very smooth and creamy with great smoke production.  There is cinnamon and clove on the retrohale with a cedary aroma, but as I said, my palate is left wanting.

The last third of the smoke sees the body of flavors return. My tongue is again coated with baking spices.  The cinnamon and clove also revisits on the retrohale.  The aroma is sweet.  As I smoke it to the nub the flavors become a little harsh with hazelnuts and black coffee.

Conclusion

The Sancho Panza Double Maduro Robusto is a decent value smoke.  Those who know me, know that I have become quite the “bundle cigar” smoker in this current economy.  However, I wouldn’t put this specific cigar in my current rotation of Curivari Buena Ventura’s or New Cuba Corojos.  The Esteli tobacco in the blend really props the Sancho Panza Double Maduro Robusto up a little, but I would rather spend the extra cash for an Eiroa Classic Prensado if you really like spiced nuances.  Even a Joya De Nicargua Antano Consul will give you the same mouth feel.  Anyway, when it comes to the Sancho Panza Double Maduro Robusto I would likely be looking to spend my money somewhere else. Enjoy!

Final Score: 84

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