Cigar bigwig Nestor Plasencia once said that the Cuba Libre is the finest blend he's ever made. I don't know about that, but I know a good cigar when I try one.
The Cuba Libre (Epicure: 6" x 50) is a hefty, firmly-made, box-pressed beauty of a cigar. The rich brown Corojo wrapper is smooth and satiny, like well-cured leather, and firmly packed. The cigar is firm to the touch and feels heavy in the hand. Once cut, the unlit draw was easier than I thought it would be, but I couldn't get any flavor yet - just a vague woodsiness.
Lit, however, this thing is full of flavor. Lots of leather, and lots of pepper on the finish. The draw is a little firm, but not enough for me to monkey around with. The burn is nice and slow and cool, but it got uneven and I had to touch it up with the lighter right around the one-third mark. Tons of thick smoke from start to finish.
The ash was medium gray and very firm, contrary to at least one review I've seen, and stayed attached until nearly the halfway point. Everything about the Cuba Libre had stayed pretty much the same up until that point - still medium bodied, still very smooth and tasty. But once the ash fell, I began tasting a little cocoa. Maybe the burn heated up a little when that happened - I don't know - but it was a welcome addition to an already good smoke.
From there on out, things stayed pretty much the same. The cocoa faded slightly as the burn cooled, but I could still taste it all the way down to the end. If Mr. Plasencia was going for consistency with this blend, he nailed it. A very good cigar, and a great choice for someone looking for an affordable "go-to" smoke.
Appearance and Construction: 13/15
Flavor: 22/25
Smoking Characteristics: 22/25
Overall Impression: 32/35
Total: 89/100
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