Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro
Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan (Ligero, Viso, Seco-Aged 4 years)
Size: 6.125 x 52 “Piramide”
Body: Medium
Price: $7.50

Today we take a look at the Cubanacan Maduro.

From the Cubanacan web site:
“The name Cubanacan was chosen for its vibrant history and the story behind its meaning. Cubanacan means “where fertile land is abundant” and is derived from tobacco traditions that predate Cuba itself. The story of Cubanacan is not just one of our past, but one that is still being written.”

There are a total of four blends: Cubanacan Connecticut, Maduro, Habano, and a newer blend called Sonores Maduro and Sonores Habano. There is also a line called Mederos that has the same three wrappers as the original Cubanacan line.

The info on the cigars from the Cubanacan web site is negligible. Mostly foo foo stuff rather than lots of hard facts.

Basically, this Cubanacan line is the flagship trifecta of blends for the company.

The cigar is a very nice looking stick. Very firm in the hand. Not a single soft spot. Tight seams, very few veins, an impeccable triple cap, and a gorgeous, oily light brown wrapper. Which is odd. It looks more like a Habano wrapper than a Maduro wrapper. If it were not for the tiny word, “MADURO” on the cigar band, I would have guessed incorrectly.

One more apology. Not a lick of sun outside. My photos will suck big time.

I clip the cap and find aromas of cocoa, spice, gingerbread, coffee, raisins, and cedar.
The cocoa is extraordinary.
Time to light up.

The opening puffs are disparate in their approach. I taste: brisket, leather, sweetness, sweet cedar, leather, chocolate, coffee, and raisins.

The draw is excellent. And the char line starts off on the right foot. A couple minutes in, the red pepper arrives. Earthiness swoops up and takes over the flavor profile.

There is manliness to this blend. Sort of woodsy and hunting for bear at the same time. If not for a few gray specks, the ash would be snow white.

Not only did I go through a lot of the Disney chicks during high school, but since I worked at Knott’s Berry Farm, I went through all the chicks that worked at the “Pitcher Gallery” And on the other side of Beach Blvd was where the lagoon was that my paddle wheeler boat did its rounds. There was a refreshment stand right next to the lagoon and I went through all those chicks too. Needless to say, I had the reputation of a cad. I didn’t care. I should add that this didn’t happen until I had my new Vidal Sassoon afro. I was hipper than hip. Had to wear it slicked down while I was the steamboat captain but at the parties, I let my freak flag fly.
More on this in a bit.

The strength is a light medium body.

There is a fruity sweetness that is not ready to be identified yet.

This is a nice relaxing smoke. Packed precisely correct for the maximum amount of enjoyment; unlike the Guayacan Sabor de Esteli I reviewed yesterday…too light in the packing of the cigar and I actually smoked a robusto in 30 minutes. It was almost like a cigarette. It felt so light in the hand that one wondered if it might fly away like a butterfly.

I’ve invested 20 minutes in the 1-1/2” I’ve smoked. More than acceptable. This is going to be one of those sticks that doesn’t take off until the halfway point. Clearly, it is an old school blend. I’ve had the Cubanacan Maduro for two weeks. And my gut tells me I taste mostly potential rather than the blender’s intent; which I will get to enjoy later in the cigar.

It is a well-made stick. The char line is on the money. Packed to the gills with tobacco. And zero construction issues…all for $6.75 which is the average price of the line.

Here are the three sizes and prices after discount:
Churchill 7 x 50 $7.00
Gordo 6 x 60 $7.00
Piramide 6.125 x 52 $6.57

2” in and creaminess appears changing and accelerating the flavor profile. The whole flavor thing ramps up now. So I was wrong. I am 1” away from the halfway point.

At the same time the flavors kick in, it becomes a bona fide flavor bomb.

Here are the flavors of the Cubanacan Maduro: Creaminess, chocolate, raisins, sweetness, spice, coffee, leather, cedar, root beer barrel candy, and a rich earthiness.

Man, this cigar is a swinging dick now. It literally did the 40 in 3.9.

The red pepper leaps the Grand Canyon and my tongue is tingling. This is a mighty fine cigar. A bit more time will have these flavors hitting hard much earlier than 2” in. Which is still more than acceptable in my opinion.

The char line remains spot on. And I look at the cigar in the ashtray with 3-1/2” to go and my heart flutters. It won’t be enough to satisfy me. I’m not usually a torpedo or Piramide fan but the Cubanacan Maduro is perfect for these large sizes that the blend comes in.

Ahh crap… a tiny crack forms near the cap. Obviously from me clipping the cap to hide the Katman drool for the photos.

I’ve been lucky. I seem to have the perfect sun to darkness ratio for the flash on my camera to work properly. You can really see how oily the Cubanacan Maduro is.

Dead on at the halfway point.

I spoke early of all the chicks I was boinking during my days in high school from the Knott’s Berry Farm roster.

One day they all talked and discovered they were being had by young Katman. I was invited over to a party by one of the girls. I literally walked into the lion’s den as I stepped inside and saw all 11 of the girls I had screwed. All in one place. There had been more but not all were willing to confront me. And others were pissed off at their so called friends for dating me while they were dating me. Did that make sense?

They ganged up on me and tied me to a wood chair while they took their turns yelling at me and always ending with a cup of beer being thrown in my face. The whole thing took a little over an hour. I left there soaked to the bone.

And of course, I got stopped by a cop because a light was out in the back of my car. When I opened the window, the smell of beer almost knocked the cop off his feet. He made me do the walking touching your nose thing. But I had not had a lick of any beer in my system. Then I blew into that thing that determines blood level and it came up zero. The cop was flabbergasted and I had to tell him the whole story. I never saw a cop laugh so hard in my life. He let me go and slapped me on the back before I got into the car. He gave me a thumbs up and left.

Back to the Cubanacan Maduro. This flavor profile is just ridiculous. The flavors are very intense. What a great cigar.

Here are the flavors once more: Creaminess, coffee, cocoa, sweetness, earthiness, raisins, caramel, cedar, leather, floral notes, and root beer.

Back in high school, Skip and his family had moved to Fullerton. It was quite a drive back then as there was no freeway in that direction.

We always went downtown and visited the guitar shops. And then we would go to the local A & W root beer stand. Skip never had any money. So I always bought us each a frosty mug of root beer and a pair of taquitos smothered in fake guacamole. I can taste that root beer now with that slight hint of bitterness from the actual root and the lovely creaminess. It was heaven and we looked forward to it each weekend.

The last third begins and I am thoroughly impressed with the Cubanacan Maduro. It is Flavor Carnival.

The caramel element sneaks up to the front three flavors. The red pepper ratchets up even more. The chocolate fights the top 3 flavors for its rightful place in line.

The Cubanacan Maduro is very complex with a long finish. Balance is spot on.

I clipped the cap once too many times and as a result caused a large crack in the wrapper. Drat. But the cigar is too good to put down so I work around the crack. No more clipping so you will be exposed to the Katman’s drool on the cap. You may want to send the children out of the room.

The cigar finishes beautifully. No harshness, no heat and no bitterness. And NO nicotine buzz.

The price is right. The Cubanacan Maduro is an excellent cigar and now I want to try the Connecticut, the Habano and the Sonores.

And now for something completely different:
1975

I was asked to bring some paperwork to Norma Tager. She was the band’s lyricist. I was 24 and she was in her middle 40’s. It was hard for us to believe that she was as hip as she was considering her advancing age. But she was hip. When you are 24, 40 seems like middle age.

She lived with the chick singer in our band. Norma had two teenage sons living with them as well. Norma and Sonja shared the same bed. They were both bi-coastal.

I knocked on their front door and one of the boys let me in. I heard Norma yell to me to come back to her bedroom. I thought nothing of it at the time as we were good friends and that’s all.

The room was dimly lit and looked like your typical Hippie den. The single small lamp had a red bulb in it and was covered by a sheer cloth.

She was wearing a kimono but not tied at the waste. A huge gulp emitted from my throat. She asked if I wanted some wine and motioned me to take a seat. The only place to sit was on the bed. I wasn’t stupid. I had to get out of there.

She’s 45!!!! An old woman.

I rose from my seat upon her completing the paper work. Then me fears were realized as she sidled up to me and hugged me. Her robe opened slightly. She was naked and had those two loaves of wilted bread breasts.

I made a quick dash for the bedroom door but she blocked me. What was I going to do? Knock her over?

She kept trying to unbutton my shirt and I pushed her hands away. Then she got rough with me and pushed me on to the bed. I freaked. She was 45!!

As she pounced on me, I made a quick surge to my right and she missed landing on the bed hoping to have me under her. I got up and she actually chased me around the bed. It was like a Looney Tune as we circled the bed.

I grabbed the paperwork and made a beeline for the door. I yelled goodbye and split.

I found out the next day that she had “had” all the other guys in the band. I was the only hold out.

I continued to play in Curved Air for another couple of years and in that time, Norma never spoke to me again.
It’s true about what they say about rock n roll….but sometimes, it wasn’t completely accurate.

This is the only photo I have of Norma. L-R: Norma, Jose Feliciano, Sonja

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: cigar review, cigar review by the katman, cigars, cubanacan cigars, Cubanacan Maduro Cigar Review