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Vegas Robaina Clasicos
Size: 165 x 42 ? Cervantes
Smoke time: 1hour 37mins
Box date: Unknown
This cigar is from a 5 pack I bought several years ago back when bigger cigars for me were a little intimidating. Why I chose them I?ve no recollection, possibly because they are one of the cheaper larger smokes available in 5s?
Appearance: OK, not unattractive but no great beauty either. The wrapper shade was a bit muddy with just the beginnings of a sheen and one or two light veins, but the tooth was parchmentlike and the wrapper spiral was precise and neatly rolled.
Construction: The cigar felt very ?pinchy? almost spongy along most of the length with one hard area almost dead centre. The cold draw was perfectly resistive, but the smoking draw whilst adequate often required double-pulling to get an acceptable volume of smoke. The burn and the ash holding were both perfect. No relights. No corrections.
Flavour: The pre-light aroma was light and grassy. The start flavour was surprisingly intense and what can be best described as salted, honey/wood and very delicious. As the smoke progressed this flavour was met with an arriving zesty, citrus tang, which at first quite dry became slowly sweeter and sherbetlike. The blending of the citrus against the woods I thought was both exceptional and simultaneously refreshing. The flavour strength at this stage I would catagorise as medium and the body as being light. During the second third the sweetness dried a little and the flavours became progressively more woody and to my mind provided more in interest and complexity for that. I was also picking up odd notes of licorice and pepper, with the pepper most especially pronounced in retro-hale. Around about the half point and a chocolatey flavour imposed itself into the mix, bringing with it a creamier texture to the smoke. The combination of flavours was still holding in sweetness and freshness and had become satisfyingly more mellowed and rounded. The Clasicos had also shifted comfortably into medium/medium. In the last third the sweetness slowly receded and the wood/chocolate flavours became fuller taking on a deliciously bitter and slightly more toasted aspect. As a finale all the flavours intensified and the power which had be previously dormant, caught me sufficiently off guard to mount a serious challenge over the last 10 minutes or so. A very worth while smoke!
Overall: Doesn?t get much in the way of mentions this Cuban, but it?s a hidden treasure, and cheaper than a lot of the better known Lonsdales, yet still a very high quality smoke in spite of that. Everyone I think would enjoy one, including
, just make sure that you smoke it slowly and the reward and experience will be worthwhile.
Marks. I?m giving the VR Clasicos a very well earned 7.4. I will certainly smoke more again and will thoroughly enjoy them, but as good as it is, it?s not as exciting or as well rounded as the Partagas 898 which leads the group.
Next up. Trinidad Ingenios EL 2007.
Size: 165 x 42 ? Cervantes
Smoke time: 1hour 37mins
Box date: Unknown
This cigar is from a 5 pack I bought several years ago back when bigger cigars for me were a little intimidating. Why I chose them I?ve no recollection, possibly because they are one of the cheaper larger smokes available in 5s?
Appearance: OK, not unattractive but no great beauty either. The wrapper shade was a bit muddy with just the beginnings of a sheen and one or two light veins, but the tooth was parchmentlike and the wrapper spiral was precise and neatly rolled.
Construction: The cigar felt very ?pinchy? almost spongy along most of the length with one hard area almost dead centre. The cold draw was perfectly resistive, but the smoking draw whilst adequate often required double-pulling to get an acceptable volume of smoke. The burn and the ash holding were both perfect. No relights. No corrections.
Flavour: The pre-light aroma was light and grassy. The start flavour was surprisingly intense and what can be best described as salted, honey/wood and very delicious. As the smoke progressed this flavour was met with an arriving zesty, citrus tang, which at first quite dry became slowly sweeter and sherbetlike. The blending of the citrus against the woods I thought was both exceptional and simultaneously refreshing. The flavour strength at this stage I would catagorise as medium and the body as being light. During the second third the sweetness dried a little and the flavours became progressively more woody and to my mind provided more in interest and complexity for that. I was also picking up odd notes of licorice and pepper, with the pepper most especially pronounced in retro-hale. Around about the half point and a chocolatey flavour imposed itself into the mix, bringing with it a creamier texture to the smoke. The combination of flavours was still holding in sweetness and freshness and had become satisfyingly more mellowed and rounded. The Clasicos had also shifted comfortably into medium/medium. In the last third the sweetness slowly receded and the wood/chocolate flavours became fuller taking on a deliciously bitter and slightly more toasted aspect. As a finale all the flavours intensified and the power which had be previously dormant, caught me sufficiently off guard to mount a serious challenge over the last 10 minutes or so. A very worth while smoke!
Overall: Doesn?t get much in the way of mentions this Cuban, but it?s a hidden treasure, and cheaper than a lot of the better known Lonsdales, yet still a very high quality smoke in spite of that. Everyone I think would enjoy one, including
, just make sure that you smoke it slowly and the reward and experience will be worthwhile. Marks. I?m giving the VR Clasicos a very well earned 7.4. I will certainly smoke more again and will thoroughly enjoy them, but as good as it is, it?s not as exciting or as well rounded as the Partagas 898 which leads the group.
Next up. Trinidad Ingenios EL 2007.
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