The E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2023 Robusto had an average flavor profile throughout, focused around toasted oak, earth and black pepper. There were some slight transitions, but nothing that ever made the profile exciting. Interesting to smoke an EPC made by Oscar Valladares, but it's not a cigar I'd come back to.
The G.A.R. American Standard Robusto had an average flavor profile throughout, just focused around musty, toasted cedar, earth and black pepper. Not a cigar I'd really see myself coming back to, but for a cigar at this price point, well worth those that prefer lower priced cigars to check out. I've had equal experiences with cigars priced three times or more than this.
The E.P. Carrillo Pledge Firecracker had an average flavor profile throughout, just focused around the toasted cedar, earth and baking spice/black pepper. I find this format polarizing, as some blends are a quick flavor bomb and others are just linear mediocrity. This blend falls into the latter category and I wouldn't see myself coming back to it.
The Foundation Charter Oak Especiales Pegnataro had an average flavor profile throughout with a focus around toasted oak and hay, black pepper and earth. Some components dropped out or faded back as the cigar went along, not really providing an experience that was all that interesting. Between this version and the Pasquale, I found the Pasquale a bit better and I wouldn't really see coming back to this cigar in the future.
The Davidoff Year of the Dragon Limited Edition 2024 had a nice start. It is not as complex as other Davidoff releases, but still has that pattern of not showing much transitioning throughout. With this being a larger cigar too, it needed more complexity to keep my interest from start to finish. In some ways, I would have preferred the cigar to be a pepper bomb throughout, but even then, the cigar needed more.
The Foundation Charter Oak Especiales Pasquale had a nice start, with the bakers chocolate providing a nice accent. The second third dropped a level as the chocolate departed and the earth picked up and the profile remained at that level the rest of the way. Overall, a fairly average smoking experience and not something I'd really see myself returning to.
I found the El Rey del Mundo Shade Grown Robusto to be pleasant, but largely linear for the review, except for a few minutes during the start of the first third. By the last third, the profile was largely wood driven which did not engage my interest. Overall, this isn't likely something I'd return to, but the price point is very affordable in the current market and I could see it appealing to budget smokers or smokers looking for a light bodied daily cigar.
This Davidoff Aniversario No. 1 Limited Edition was a nice Double Corona. From beginning to end it had my attention with the flavors delivered and it’s balance. Nice level of complexity. Not much transitioning, but you don't find that a lot with Davidoff. It did have that solid and fairly complex core flavor profile however, and the peanut butter notes were enjoyable. The combination of spices with that made for a nice touch on the finish.
The Bolivar Gran Republica Robusto was a pleasant cigar to review, with some complex combinations of flavors through the first third. The remainder of the cigar was still pleasant but a little simple overall in the flavor presentation. I don't think there was enough flavor delivery here to make me seek this out again, however the price point is very attractive so I could see recommending this to cigar smokers in the below medium strength category.
The Macanudo Inspirado Jamao Toro was an overall pleasant flavor delivery which will likely satisfy many light to medium cigar smokers. I found the best combination of flavors to be through the second third with the first and last thirds being pleasant but not as dynamic.