Di Fazio Maduro (Dyed Wrapper, *gasp*!)

[OHRD]

Size: 5×50, Robust

Wrapper: Nicaraguan

Binder: Honduran and Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Strength: Medium

Price: Box of 24, $141 (Purchase)

Grade: 8.1

Birthed in 2008, Di Fazio honors the memory of a family name and currently offers three blends: Connecticut (Black), Picoso (Red), and Maduro (White). Presented in four sizes, a Robust, Double Robust, Torpedo, and Churchill, each blend is available in all four sizes, except for the Maduro, which does not offer a Churchill. They are sold in units of 12 and 24. You can check their line out online.

This line comes from Carmelo Di Fazio, a television executive born in Venezuela, of Italian descent, and now living in Miami. Di Fazio cigars are rolled at…get ready for the longest factory name on earth… the Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas S. de R.L. factory in Honduras. This is the same factory responsible for Illusione and the Alec Bradley Tempus (source).

These sticks were sent courtesy of Puffing Cigars. Now, let’s get to it!

Pre-light, 1.6:
The Maduro is triple capped and packed very well, especially at the foot, where it may be a bit too tight. The dark maduro wrapper is in fact dyed and the coloring comes off on your fingers and lips when wet, not good. The wrapper has some prominent veins, is very leathery and rustic and sports a very classy band. The aroma is quite eclectic, with notes of barnyard, bitter chocolate, sweet cedar and hay. On the draw, it has a slight resistance and is very sweet on the lips.

Burn, 1.4:
The heavy packing at the foot presents a slow burn to begin with. The beautifully colored white ash is loose and dismembered and a hole develops in the center of the ash. After each ash, a bit of nursing is required to re-align the ash and to keep the cigar lit. The draw remains tight throughout and creates a very slow burn, though the smoke emitted is fairly thick. Be ready to give the Maduro some attention, it is a needy cigar.

Flavor, 2.6:
Though slightly muted and empty, there is a definite sweetness to the smoke that reminds me a great deal of the Cu-Avana Maduro (review). The finish is very dry and short but does present some notes of chocolate and cedar as the cigar progresses, with a continued muted sweetness. Though the flavor is rather dull, it may also be called clean, smooth, and delicate. To round the profile out, a slight spice is present on the retrohale.

Overall, 2.5:
This cigar is priced under $6 but is very comparable to some $2 and $3 cigars I’ve had. The experience got off to a very bad start when I realized the wrapper was dyed, and things did not improve with the poor burn and tight draw. The mildly sweet flavors help justify the price and prevent the smoke from being a total failure, but this is still a cigar I’d pass on.

(Total: 8.1)