Wotje Manila

[Don Fernando]

Wotjes is a brand especially made for tobacconist W. Otten in Maastricht, a beautiful city in the south of The Netherlands and I heard a lot about those cigars that is a robusto size, which is an unusual vitola for a dry cigar and they are made with 5 different wrappers. Java, Sumatra, Brazil, Manila and Havana. They are sold in dress boxes of 25 and in samplers of 10, with 2 of each wrapper. I had to go to Maastricht for work last week and decided to treat myself to a sampler. This is the review of the Manila wrapper.




The wrapper is a nice color brown, with some nice veins. The predraw is just fine. When I light the cigar I taste a nice sweet musty flavor, not an unpleasant musty flavor but warm and familiar. The mustiness disappears soon and the sweetness sticks around. The flavor is mellow and after 1/3rd I can taste some liquorice. After 2/3rd I taste spices with a peppery finale. The aroma is quite peppery.



The draw is fine, the cigar produces a nice amount of smoke and the ash is light colored and firm.



Would I buy this cigar again? Probably not, for less money I can buy a Jose L Piedra petit cazadores, which I prefer over this cigar, although if you like dry cigars this Wotje is good.

Construction: 7 / 10
Draw: 7 / 10
Appearance: 7 / 10
Smoke & ash: 7 / 10
Burn: 7 / 10
Aroma (first part) 6 / 10
Aroma (middle part) 7 / 10
Aroma (last part) 6 / 10