robusto

Let’s take a look at the absolute best my humidor has to offer in regular production cigars at the moment…

5. Partagas D #4
A lovely strong and spicy cigar. Perfect after a barbeque or with a bottle of Pinot Noir.

4. Trinidad Robusto Extra
In Denmark we are blessed with some of the most delightful licorice made by old traditional methods. The Trinidad Robusto Extra is a really close substitute with a lovely creamy aroma. Far superior to the Montecristo No. 2 which has a similar flavor profile.

3. Vegas Robaina Famosos
Imagine the best roasted cup of coffee you have ever had. This cigar is the essence of the imagination. Enjoy it with a shot of dupo espresso. Don Alejandro, what a legend, Rest In Peace!

2. Bolivar Royal Corona
This cigar can challenge any cigar out there on the sweet’n'sour flavor profile. Try it with a bottle of demi-sec Spumante.

1. Partagas P #2
A rich creamy smoke like no other. A symphony of nutty, coffee and oaky flavors. I allways pare it with a hot cup of Pukka “Three Berry” tea.

The Cohiba brand has always been known as something special, but the quality of the cigar doesn’t always match the “quality” of the price. Bought a pack of 3 dated 02/2009 and the construction of these cigars are just beautiful.

There is cedar on the draw, bitter oak on the tongue, leather in the aftertaste and sweet cedar in the scent. A dry woody smoke with a full body. I rate it 90.

Just got a box of twelve and I’m sitting with the first stick at the moment.

A very dry smoke with lots of woody notes. There is cream/milk on the draw, oak on the tongue, toast in the aftertaste and cedar in the scent.

The smoke is thick and the taste of cream is lovely. A full bodied cigar with crisp flavors. I rate it 88 from a box dated 06/2009.

I got a box of 10 dated 09/2009 a few months ago and a couple of tubos dated 06/2009, just for comparison. The tubos had lots of lovely flavors from the start but the sticks, out of the box, was a bit green/mossy. Now, five months later, it is time to open the torch again.

This is just a really creamy smoke with sweet spicy and earthy flavours. Hints of chocolate on the draw, pepper on the tongue and roasted coffee in the aftertaste. After the first inch the sweetness becomes more sour. The pepper gets stronger and the coffee become more dominant in the aftertaste. The smoke is thick with a nutty scent. A medium-full body with an even burn.

With more aging this will be the perfect cigar. Rated side by side with the Bolivar RC. The limited editions #1 and #2 are just the top of the line from Partagas, but as a regular production cigar, the #4 is a strong contender. I rate it 91.

The Vegas Rabaina has allways been a favorite brand of mine. It is a brand on the medium earthy and spicy side of the flavor spectrum. A perfect after-noon or apéritif cigar if you like strong cigars for a main course.

A delicious salty wrapper. The first puff is nutty and with lots of coffee flavors. A bit of cocoa on the draw and some caramel and pepper in the aftertaste. There is a scent of honey and lovely roasted coffee which is really dominating in this smoke.

A medium bodied smoke and primarily the flavors stays on the sour side through the entire smoke ranging from coffee to caramel to burnt. For me, the robusto size is a perfect length and makes a good 40 minutes smoke. I rate it 90 from a box dated 07/2008.

I am not much of a Hoyo fan and the brand have a reputation for their light flavors favored by beginners. But light flavors alone doesn’t make it a beginners cigar. In my opinion a beginner cigar is a medium earthy/creamy cigar, not a cigar with rich vegetal flavors, which is a more demanding taste spectrum for beginners.

If there is a poster child for a vegetal cigar, this must be it. Tea on the draw, tang on the tongue, grass in the aftertaste and fruit in the scent. A light-medium bodied smoke bursting with vegetal flavors. Potpourri rolled in a Cuban wrapper. I rate it 88 from a tubos dated 05/2006.

A christmas gift from my father, a box of Partagas D #5. Covered in a beautiful silky dark wrapper, so smooth and mouth watering, without any flaw.

Full on citrus and pepper in this short robusto. A relative young smoke proving the be the stronger sibling in the D family. I am reminded of the flavours in Bolivar Royal Corona, but with a fierce force.

There is coffee on the draw, pepper/citrus/salt on the tongue, espresso in the aftertaste, heavy salt on the lips and roasted cocoa/leather in the scent. In generel a full bodied spicy cigar, but watch out for the sudden burst of toast and burnt notes. Buy a box, put it to rest for 2 more years and enjoy. This is an interesting salty alternative to the Cohiba Maduro 5 Magicos. I rate it 90 from a box dated 08/2008. Thanks Dad!

This is my favorite bitter oak and sweet cedar cigar. It is loaded with lots of citrus on the draw, which can be more grassy if the cigar is young. The smoke is thick and building on the oaky base is a lovely creamy nutty taste. It is medium bodied and well rounded. The second inch is more sweet then sour, reminiscing of chocolate. Lovely!

This is the tubos edition from 07/2009 and a premium robusto. Absolutely one of the best from Bolivar. The Bolivar Belicosos Finos is almost the same in taste, but missing that lovely sweet and sour bit. The smoke comming from the wrapper is just heaven and delightful. I rate it 92.