Santiago Maduro Robusto

[Don Fernando]

Santiago Cigars is a new brand from Nicaragua and I met the owners at the largest tobacco trade show in the world, intertabac in Dortmund, last September. Online there is not a lot of information about the brand, just that it’s named after the first capitol of Nicaragua and that the cigar is made by the Plasencia family. Now that last piece of information is interesting for the cigar geeks among us that know the Plasencia’s and recognize their importance in the cigar industry. They are amongst the largest tobacco growers and cigar producers in both Nicaragua and Honduras, they make cigars for a lot of brands like several Alec Bradley lines, Casa Magna for the Quesada family and many more next to a few lines for themselves and in Honduras they have a joined operation with Rocky Patel. That’s just the cigars they produce but their tobacco is sold to almost everybody. That’s how important the Plasencia family is and why my friend Jonathan Drew calls them ‘the octopus’ in an endearing way. And even though they are so important it’s still a humble and down to earth family who does a lot of charity for the less fortunate.


Now about the cigar, it’s a 5×50 box pressed robusto with a double band. The wrapper is a San Andres Maduro from Mexico with a Nicaraguan binder and filler tobacco from both Mexico and Nicaragua. The ring is nice and detailed but the 2nd ring is so off color with the regular band, the red just isn’t a match and I would never have picked that color scheme. The wrapper is beautiful though and the cigar is beautifully made with a well rounded top. The construction feels good and the cigar has a mild barnyard aroma. I decided to punch the cigar instead of cutting it. The cold draw is great with a mild pepper and raisin flavor.

I used my trusted vintage Ronson lighter to light this cigar and due to the thick leave it takes some effort. First hit is sour but it disappears right away. After that it’s a mixture of coffee, lime and wood, a quite unique flavor combination. After a centimeter it turns into a charred wood flavor with a mild citrus aftertaste. After an inch the charred part disappears, it’s now wood with a citrus that’s growing stronger.

After a third it’s a mild barbecue with wood and citrus. Halfway the smoky barbecue is gone and replaced with sweetness. After two thirds I notice some spice slowly growing with some wood, the aftertaste is mildly sweet and the citrus is almost complete gone. The wood is getting stronger too.
The smoke is thick, white and plentiful and again my air cleaner is working overtime. The draw is great. The ash is salt & pepper colored with beautiful rings and quite firm. The burn is beautiful, slow and straight. This cigar is full bodied, full flavored with a nice evolution. The smoke time was about 75 minutes.

Would I buy this cigar again? Yes I’d like to give it another try but I won’t buy a box.

Score: 90

direct link to review including pictures: https://cigarguideorg.wordpress.com/...aduro-robusto/