Leon Jimenes 300 robusto

[BlackIrish]

The cigar: Leon Jimenes 300 Series robusto

Nutritional information:
Vitola: 5x50 robusto
Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua


I've smoked other Jimenes cigars that were good but nothing special. This one stands out. Maybe it's the fact that the cigar is aged for 300 days post-rolling. Maybe I'm just buying into the marketing, which goes something like this:

"A commemorative cigar from the Dominican’s first (and oldest) factory. The 300 Series of Leon Jimenes is a masterfully crafted premium that combines a flawless, Cameroon wrapper leaf and supremely aged Dominican and Nicaraguan long-leaf tobaccos. The authentic wrapper leaf from Africa is dark and toothy in nature and marks the return of a Cameroon-wrapped Leon Jimenes cigar – the beloved cigar of Don Eduardo Leon Jimenes, founder of the La Aurora factory.

"Other than the wrapper, the secret to the Leon Jimenes 300 Series is the aging process. After rolled, each cigar must undergo an additional aging period of at least 300 days, hence the name. Although this process is not necessary, as each leaf utilized is already vintage, it does add an enormous level of balance within a savory depth of flavor. Medium-bodied, but bursting with toasty goodness, Leon Jimenes 300 Series is incredibly smooth, offering deep woody notes delivered in a creamy, and robust fashion. Absolutely delicious." (courtesy of CI)

Prelight: An excellent specimen to the eye, with a wrapper much darker than I usually associate with Cameroon. It's smooth, with no significant veins and flat seams. The shiny blue and gold band looks good against the dark wrapper. It feels good in the hand, firm and with some heft. The cap was well applied and held up beautifully to a slice. The cold draw, just a bit tight, brought dark tobacco flavors.

Burn/construction: First rate. No problems lighting, and the burn was smooth and straight to the nub. The firm white ash fell only with a little help. A slow burner, too, giving me about an hour of smoking pleasure, and lots of smoke.

Flavor: Bold dark flavors at the start, deep and rich, with some warm cinnamon spice but not a lot of pepper up front. There were notes of coffee, leather, and spice on the finish. The flavor built along these lines through the smoke, sometimes bringing more sweetness, sometimes more dry leather or wood, sometimes a light cocoa, always with dark flavors underneath. Medium in body and strength, but smooth and full of flavor. This is a tasty one!