This cigar was enjoyed with No Drink
Pre-Light: 19 Points of 10 Possible
This is one beautiful looking cigar! The tobacco is packed very tightly inside a smooth, but fairly dry maduro wrapper. There are a few small viens on the wrapper itself, but nothing that should get in the way of a good burn. The cap is solid and strong, and the cutting was effortless. The blade snapped right through the cap, clean and all in one fluid motion. The feel of the cigar is a little spongy, but not too soft, nor too hard. The aroma smells of rich tobacco, a little cocoa and a slight hint of earth. The pre-light draw was open and smooth, allowing for some hints of cocoa and earth to seep through for a little preview of what's to come. And with that mind, I can't wait to get this stick lit!
Lighting and Burn: 14 Points of 15 Possible
Lighting this Alacranes robusto was no problem. I had no issues whatsoever getting this guy going. And once lit, it burned steady and slow. The burn was about as even as one could get without being perfectly straight. This cigar offered a generous amount of thick smoke to enjoy with each and every draw. The ash turned cascading and alternating shades of gray, and held fairly tight to the cigar. The ash removed itself twice during the smoke. As we were just talking about in a recent thread, the burn and ash turned out to be a real asset to this cigar, and became an intregal part in the overal enjoyment of it.
Construction: 28 Points of 30 Possible
The construction of this robusto is top-notch. As I mentioned in the Pre-Light section, this cigar is really something to just look at. The dark maduro wrapper begs you to simply hold it. It's the perfect size and boasts a great feel in my hand. The cap is solid and strong, and held up to a little biting and turning in my mouth. You can certainly tell that extra care was taken in the making of this cigar.
Flavor and Aroma: 34 Points of 45 Possible
With all-due respect to the sight and look of this cigar, what really makes this an outstanding and excellent smoke is the smell and taste. The aroma of this robusto grabbed me by the back of the head, pulled me in and kept me noticing it with every minute of this experience. The nose is just so captivating and enjoyable, I couldn't put it down. And that, I didn't. Notes of the aroma included an outstanding balance between sweet and savory, with hints of leather, cedar, milk, nuts and earth. The flavors and body were just as well-balanced, with the same poise, stability and consistency as the aroma. The flavors were extremely delicious, with notes of cream, leather, cedar, ceral, oats, nuts, a trace of cocoa and even a little hint of a spicy red pepper flake. The wrapper also lent an enjoyable zest, with an interestly sweet but earthy tang. The body was fairly mild, but certainly packed a flavorful punch. There were no real changes in flavor, as this cigar stayed extremely consistent throughout the entire smoke. And that's fine with me. Sure, there are cigars out there that feature some taste changes over the course of the experience, but when you have flavors like this Alarances has, you don't need any variances. I certainly didn't. And I wouldn't wish for any for this cigar, either.
Summary
I reviewed this Alacranes robusto H2000 back in September of last year. Since then, I was fortunate enough to sample other offerings of this brand. And I loved each of them. Then when Paul came calling for me to write a Staff Review of this, I couldn't turn down the opportunity to smoke and enjoy another Alacranes. And I'm more than happy I did. I rated this same robusto a 3.5 the first time, but if I could rewrite and rerate, it would certainly score at least a 4.5, maybe even a perfect 5-stars! This cigar is absoutely incredible! It offers it all: great construction, beautiful wrapper, slow, steady and even burn, enticing aroma and delicious flavors. And to make matters even better, it doesn't take even an hour to enjoy one. But you might want to take your time anyway and really savor it! So if you need a fairly quick smoke but want something that is packed-full of flavor, this is your cigar. And it's quickly going to turn into my cigar, too! Watch your inbox Pete, I'm going to be writing for some more real soon!
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(11 Review(s))