Navarre robusto maduro

[Don Fernando]

“Le Comptoir du Tabac des Gaves et de l’Adour” is a French tobacco company that grows quality tobacco in the south west of France near the Spanish border. With help from a Cuban tobacco grower from the Pinar del Rio region they created a French puro, Navarre, of which I reviewed the Double Corona a few years ago. A few weeks ago I visited Huis Verloo in Antwerp and noticed that there is a limited edition maduro robusto out and I just had to try it.



The 5 x 50 cigar looks pretty with the tasteful band and the extra "limitee maduro" band. The wrapper is nice and dark, oily and smooth with one big vein running over it. The top is triple capped and the construction feels great. The cigar has a peppery barnyard aroma.



The first thing I taste is a full earthy coffee flavor with a mild sugary sweetness on the background. The flavors are a bit burned. After a few puffs I can also taste some sweet chocolate. After an inch the sweetness tones down a bit.



Halfway I taste a sharp pepper with the previous flavors, but the pepper is the dominant flavor. The earthy coffee disappears and is replaced with a nut flavor, macadamia, toast and chocolate. Near the end the pepper fades a bit while the toast gets stronger.



In the beginning I had a bit of a crooked burn but it corrects itself and doesn't give me problems during the rest of the smoke. The smoke is medium thick and I get just enough. The ash is pepper and salt colored. This cigar is full flavored and medium bodied. I purged it and didn't get a flame at all. It lasted me 75 minutes.



Would I buy this cigar again? Hell yes. Not often, as they are pricey, but I need to get a few for special occasions.

Appearance: 7 / 10
Construction: 7 / 10
Draw: 7 / 10
Burn: 7 / 10
Smoke & ash: 7 / 10
Aroma first part: 7 / 10
Aroma second part: 9 / 10
Aroma third part: 8 / 10