Wrapper: Nicaraguan Ligero Jalapa
Binder: Nicaraguan Criolla Cubana 2010
Filler: Dominican
Size: 5 x 54 “Robusto”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $8.00

Just received samples of the Cuenca 5 Anniversary Robusto from the lovely Ana Cuenca of Cuenca Cigars. They arrived without cello and Ana told me they were ready to go.
I previously reviewed the 5 Anniversary in the 7 x 54 size: Cuenca 5 Anniversary.

And it was a tremendous cigar that got better and better with age. But it too, was ready to go on receipt.

The wrapper is a dark sun grown leaf. And clearly, AJ, who blended this for the Cuenca family, decided to experiment, successfully, with this new Criolla Cubana 2010 seed which is designed to “..add strength and emphasize the sweetness of the blend.”

Construction on this cigar is just as impeccable as the Torpedo. Seams are tight. A few minor veins. Oily sheen with a sandy feel meaning toothiness. The box press is perfect. And the cap is superbly attached.

The cigar band on this stick is really gorgeous with a real attention to detail. There is a lot going on here.

I clip the cap and find aromas of potent spice, cocoa, cinnamon, a floral note, yeasty bread, citrus; both lemon and orange, strong leather and wood. Pretty impressive.
Time to light up.

I get a wallop of spiciness. Toast. Intense sweetness. Cocoa. Baking spices. Something too early in the cigar that eludes me.

The draw is spot on. The char line is a bit wavy. But doesn’t look like a touch up will be necessary. The sweetness is out of bounds, man. It’s swingin’, baby. I used to talk like that back in the day as a full time musician; especially when I played in jazz groups.

I spoke to Ana and asked how long I should wait before I smoke one? You know what this little darlin’ told me? She sent me sticks that had already been humidor aged. So they are good to go. What a sweetheart.

I’m an inch in and the flavors are very intense, especially how much sweetness is emitted from the cigar.

I was happily surprised how the giant (7 x 54) torpedo aged and became so flavorful. I’ve preached over and over that big cigars just ain’t for me. But if you check out my reviews, you will see that this cigar started out flavorful; and with a few months aging, they just explode with flavor like a much smaller cigar.

The sweetness leads the charge on this. The other flavors are subdued at halfway through the first third. The spiciness has tamped down quite a bit. The char line corrected itself and is now near perfect.

The first third ends with the addition of creaminess. As much as creaminess can dominate a cigar’s flavor profile, this one doesn’t. The sweet flavor which is a combo of raisins, dates, and caramel are incredibly intense.

The second third sees the complexity of the cigar kick in. The flavors morph into a ball with no sharp edges. I think Kafka once said that.

The cigar is now officially a flavor bomb. My palate is in overload. LOL.

Cocoa becomes more expressive now. And the citrusy flavor of both lemon and orange are right behind. This is a wonderful combination of flavors; like chocolate candy.

The cigar has quickly shown its character and the blending skills of AJ Fernandez and the Cuenca family. These guys don’t fool around. Cuenca only has one house cigar that is a knock around cigar that goes for $4 each. And the 5 Anniversary. So the Cuencas are very cautious about what they put their name on. And apparently, they only seek out the best to help them blend it.

I am a huge AJ fan. You are too, I bet.

The caramel, sweet orange, cocoa, and creaminess are hitting the ball out of the park. I’ve described some great flavor bombs in the last few months. But this cigar has a little something extra. Whatever that experimentation, by AJ, with that new binder works.

The cigar is extremely well balanced and has a very long finish. I find myself smacking my lips while typing like our dog. I continue to get flavor without the cigar being in my mouth. I have a “retentive palate.” I made that up.
Oops. The char line goes back to being wavy once more. But it’s minor.

At the halfway point, the cigar is perfect. My kind of cigar. It is still in the medium range; from whence it started.
Fortunately, the sticks are for sale right now. They were published on the Cuenca web site on August 1. Even if you’re not sure, you can get a 5 pack for the same price per stick as a box. Oh lord….I see a box in my future. But I will have to wait until my wife leaves for her trip back home to Germany in early September. Yes. I am a sneak cigar buyer. And then pray my wife doesn’t look at our bank statement online.

The cigar is very solid and packed with lots of tobacco so the burn is slow. It’s taken me over 45 minutes to get this far. For such a packed stick, the burn and draw are really good.
And Bingo! The char line corrects itself once more. Must be magic.

Something else you should know about the Cuenca Cigar store. They are both a B & M and sell online. They carry all the good stuff from Moya Ruiz Cigars. Danny and Nelson are good friends with the Cuenca family. And methinks that Cuenca gets the new releases first. The new Habano is supposed to have been released but I haven’t seen it yet. This is also a cigar you need to check out. As well as the Moya Ruiz Prieto. These young men are brilliant blenders and have a long run in front of them and big things in their future.

I normally don’t plug someone else’s cigar in a review. But the Cuencas are extremely good friends with Danny Moya and Nelson Ruiz and I’m sure Ana won’t mind. You can find my interview with both of them here on my blog.

I hit the last third. It’s been over an hour of smoking time. The cigar just keeps expanding on its flavor profile. The cigar is very chewy.
You ever wonder what the term “Chewy” meant?
“Chewy” means that the smoke is thick and probably full of oils, which causes the flavors to be very strong in your mouth, and afterwards, during the finish. It is the kind of cigar that coats your teeth with flavors. Almost like you could eat it. It is what causes me to smack my lips.
So now you know. I rarely use that term because it is often misconstrued.

I remove the cigar band easily.

The strength is still at a heady medium body.

The sweet caramel overtakes the creaminess. Now that’s sweet. It is like sucking on the finest European sticky and sweet caramel. I lived there for a few years and these Europeans really know how to make caramel. I have never found anything like it in the U.S. except for boutique chocolatiers.

I truly love this cigar. What a perfect combination of flavor, character, balance and finish. And the char line has remained perfect 85% of the time. I’m a structural engineer and have a very good calculator.

I should also note that the cap has been flawless throughout the burn. No loose bits of tobacco. Shape has remained perfect. If this is indeed a single cap, well Kudos to the Cuencas and AJ.

I must apologize for some of my photos. I use the dining room window for sunlight to augment the colors. But we have a ginormous tree in the back that filters the sunlight and as the summer wears on, the leaves keep increasing exponentially; basically ruining some of my shots. The cross hatching you might see on the cigar is the shadow of the window screen. Sorry. One of these days, I’m going to pop for a good camera.

Clearly, there is more tobacco in the last half than the first. The burn time has slowed way down. I’m 75 minutes into the cigar with 2-1/2” left.

Here it comes. The cigar has just shifted into high gear and the strength is full bodied now. I can tell immediately when that happens because my ability to type is affected. I end up re-typing words over and over because I am becoming delirious. Man, what a buzz. LOL.

I grab my breakfast: an Atkins shake to help stave off the effects of the strength of the cigar.
The cigar finishes off perfectly. No harshness, no bitterness, and it remains cool as a cuke. I don’t think I will be able to nub it without putting on my crash helmet and fastening the seat belts on my reviewing chair. Nicotine affects my eyesight. Everything becomes blurry. I become blurry.

Meanwhile, the cigar is blasting away with flavor.

Clearly, I recommend this cigar. I am going to buy a box (when the wife is gone) and while this stick is in the high range of what I will spend on a cigar, you definitely get your money’s worth. It is one of the few cigars that is worth $8. The complexity alone sells this cigar.
I get down to the last inch and it has taken me 90 minutes to finish it.

I, once more, want to thank Cuenca Cigars and Ana Cuenca for the samples. If you call your order in, most likely, you will speak with Ana. Tell her the Katman sent you.

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS