Cruzero de Panama robusto

[Don Fernando]

Cruzero de Panama is a 130 year old brand that recently showed up again when Tabacalera Darier & Cleef decided to start producing this old brand again. One of the reasons to relaunch this brand, one of the first ever made by Darier & Cleef back in the late 1800's, is to let the cigar smokers know about the cigar tradition in Panama. The original crates and bands are used on the cigars, to honor the tradition. The cigars are available in Germany, Austria and a few select shops in The Netherlands for now.



The wrapper has a cappuccino colored wrapper with a few veins. The wrapper is mild oily and the band is simple yet pretty. The cigar has a mild straw smell. The construction feels good and the predraw is fine. I taste tobacco with a mild pepper.



I taste a smooth and sweet coffee and soon an added wood flavor with some pepper. After a quarter of an inch I taste wood with some sweetness. The flavors are quite dry.



After a third I taste some chocolate, some caramel and grass with the wood and the sweetness. Halfway the grass becomes the main flavor with some wood. The caramel has disappeared and the chocolate has mellowed down and is only noticeable in the aftertaste.



This cigar has a smoke time of an hour and fifteen minutes. I got a lot of thick smoke. The draw and the burn were fantastic. The light colored ash is very firm. This cigar is medium flavored and mild to medium bodied, like expected from previous experiences with Panamanian tobacco.



Would I buy this cigar again? Yes, this is a nice Sunday morning cigar.

Appearance: 8 / 10
Construction: 8 / 10
Draw: 8 / 10
Burn: 8 / 10
Smoke & ash: 8 / 10
Aroma first part: 8 / 10
Aroma second part: 8 / 10
Aroma third part: 7 / 10