Espinoza Y Ortega Cubao #4

I got this in with a 601 "Sampler" box at a visit to a B+M in Clear Lake, Texas. I normally smoke in the evenings with friends, but had a chance to lounge outside solo and enjoy the last available sunshine in my backyard while reading.

This is the first Cubao that I've tried - and also my first review. Please be gentle

Pre-light:
Nice, even construction. No visible flaws in the wrapper, and a very nicely constructed cap. After cutting with a guillotine cutter, the pre-light draw offered just a little bit of resistance. The aroma was woody, but not overpowering. A few hints of leather, but overall a nicely rounded smell with no one note coming through over the others. I don't know if this is officially considered a "Robusto", but to my eye that's the size that it lines up with.

Beverage: San Pellegrino blood orange soda

First third:
Lots of smoke, very even white ash that held together very well (almost two inches worth), and a nice even burn. The main notes are woodsy (oak?) and leather, with a little bit of pepper. At this point, the cigar is towards the "medium" end of medium-full.



Second third:
A little bit of uneven burn, but it mostly corrected itself. The ash gets a little bit darker. The woodsy note continues, with the leather becoming a bit more pronounced.

Final third:
The woodsy note faded just a little bit, but the pepper started picking up speed in a big way. The leather was also very much present, with a very mild bean note that I had to focus on to really pin down. The minor burn issues from the middle third had corrected themself by this time. The cigar is also getting more towards the "full" end of medium-full.

All things considered, I would consider this cigar a tasty medium-full choice. I would buy one again...and I'm looking forward to the Churchill and Torpedo of the same brand that I picked up in the sampler. I wouldn't rave about this stick, as I didn't see as much complexity as I'd like to in a medium-full smoke, but I also wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.

[DaBear]

Good review! Try the Maduros though. Those are some fantastic smokes

[kelmac07]

Originally Posted by DaBear

Good review! Try the Maduros though. Those are some fantastic smokes

What Jonathon said.