TTT Trinidad Robusto

The Dominican Trinidad was birthed out of an American market for one of Cuba's most sought after cigars. That detail alone can prompt a bit of skepticism but the Trinidad doesn't rest on its laurels.

The Trinidad Robusto maduro comes wrapped in a dark, almost burnt looking, woody Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. The contrasting golden band gives it an elegant appearance. The flavors are melded perfectly with a cedar core and notes of sweet fruits and a bit of spice. This complex mix of flavors was consistent throughout the smoke and was complimented by a rich woody aroma. The construction was nearly perfect with a nice firm draw and packed white ash. A couple of wobbles in the burn are to be expected with this guy but they'll self correct without affecting the flavor.

This is a very pleasant smoke with rounded complexity and a smooth cool burn. I was happy to see that this Trinidad was more than just a name on a stick. You won't be disappointed.

Wrapper: Conn
Filler: Nic, DR, Peru
Binder: Ecuador Sumatra
Rating: 92

Casa Magna Colorado Robusto

The Casa Magna Robusto was a feat of economics. Named the cigar of the year in 2008, it came in at under $6. There probably hasn't been that kind of demand for a #1 cigar ever. Consequently most of the big suppliers don't carry it and there are nearly always limits on the number you can buy when you do find it.

I bought a few and and insisted on smoking all of them before I weighed in with my opinion. I had the same experience with all 3 which makes this easier. Aesthetically it is something to behold. The colorado wrapper with reddish brown hues has a nice oily sheen. It was a bit lumpy with veins which gave it a rugged look balancing the soft beauty of the wrapper. The foot smelled of hay and coffee and the pre-light draw was a little tight but still nice. The initial flavors were quite complex with wood at the core with notes of dried fruits and coffee and hints of nuts. By 1/3 of the smoke the draw tightened and the wood undertone took on an earthy character while coffee and fruit persisted. At 1/2 way cedar notes prevailed and continued until the end. The finish was smooth and mellow. The aroma was full and woody and the ash was firm and light gray. There were a few points where it burned uneven and the draw could have been loosened up which I think limited my appreciation of the flavor. Smoking a cigar should be relaxing, not work.

I suppose I expected more from the "cigar of the year" but perhaps it was my expectation that let me down. It is lovely to look at and had nice complexity in flavor but the real disappointment was with the construction. Overall still great value and worth picking up when they can be found. Just don't expect too much.

Wrapper: Nic
Filler: Nic
Binder: Nic
Rating: 91

Oliva Serie V Belicoso

My updates have been on hold as I've been away on a working/holiday for the last couple of weeks. The holiday end was especially nice because I was with my committed cigar smoking buddies lighting up...well, lets just say often. I had a couple of real gems come out of that week that I'll be posting over the next few weeks. First off will be the cream of the crop as far as I was concerned.

This was the Oliva Serie V Belicoso. Oliva has an excellent line of cigars that are all reasonably priced. Of course I had to give this cigar a try since it was in the top 5 cigars of 2009. I've become a little weary about picking cigars based on Cigar Aficionado's ratings as I am generally expecting to have my world changed and then am desperately disappointed. More on some of those at a later date.

The Oliva was no such disappointment. Its chocolate brown wrapper was the oiliest I have seen. It gave off a spicy cedar aroma pre-light and had a nice firm draw. Upon lighting it produced copious amounts of smoke and had a very smooth cedary core with a mild spice. Notes of coffee and chocolate picked up in the initial 1/3 and carried through to the very end. By mid smoke the cedar had taken on a toasty character and it had a nice spicy finish. The aroma was wood and rich tobacco. The construction was flawless.

This is a wonderful cigar that absolutely will be a center piece in any humidor. My only regret is that I didn't buy more of these.

Wrapper: Nic
Filler: Nic
Binder: Nic
Rating: 93