The Warzone Rabito was a nice addition to the Warzone offerings. The cigar was spicier and fuller in body and strength than past releases, but it still offered those complex and enjoyable flavor qualities. Much more concentrated in this smaller offering. I do think the cigar, like all Warzones will age well, and if you wanted a little more strength and body with Warzone, this cigar captures those qualities.
This HVC Selección No. 1 Esenciales was a really good cigar, and a cigar I would come back to over and over again. A strong cigar that has a flavor profile to my liking as well. Wood, leather, earth and cocoa qualities. Lots of pepper. I would smoke these all the time. Bring it on first thing in the morning. With that being said, this cigar lingers on the palate after smoking. It is great to see some awesome corona gordas released in 2022.
Overall, the Protocol Sir Robert Peel Natural Corona Gorda was fairly average and the burn issues were a bit of a drawback. In comparison with the initial release in the Toro, I slightly preferred that vitola, but this line just doesn't do it for me and I don't see myself returning to this one.
In my opinion, in true, fairly typical fashion, Pete nails the body. There aren't that many good cigars with medium plus body these days, but Pete seems to know how to achieve that and pair it with flavors that compliment it quite well. Even with this said, I still prefer the Habano versions of the Brown Label. But this Tatuaje 7th Tuxtla was neat to smoke for a little change up.
The Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Maduro Corona Gorda R offers up some fairly full strength flavors, surprisingly more intense than the Habano, which I was not expecting. I enjoyed the first and second thirds but given the intensity of the flavors, this cigar might be a bit too much for a lot of smokers. I would definitely smoke the Knuckle Sandwich Maduro again.
Overall, the Protocol Sir Robert Peel Maduro Corona Gorda was fairly average as the damp, musty wood wasn't my favorite and it was the dominant component of the profile. All in all, the cigar keeps up with the original release in the line, but still isn't something I'd see myself coming back to all that frequently.
I felt this was a more modern Cameroon release from La Aurora and the Dominican Republic. Yes, it is using an Ecuadorian Cameroon wrapper and not an authentic African Cameroon, but the cigar has more strength, body and darker flavors than a lot of past Cameroon releases from the company. The almond, cream, currant and Chinese spice notes were great together.
This Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Habano Corona Gorda R is the exact wheelhouse of Espinosa that I like. Deep flavors creating a rich, sweet and spicy experience. Typically, when a product is backed by a celebrity, it's a bunch of bullshit. But not this one. If you're a fan of the typical Espinosa offerings, you will not be disappointed in this one.
While the Protocol Coppers isn't bad, it just couldn't maintain what was delivered in the first third. I think this is a slightly better offering than most of the other special/single store releases from the brand and I might come back to it from time to time, but it isn't something that I see myself going back to all that regularly. It's worth trying one to see what you think.
I can’t remember the last La Aroma de Cuba that I enjoyed this much. What a great Nicaraguan puro. Balanced blend with enjoyable flavors from start to finish. Great construction as well. My Father has released two Nicaraguan puros recently that have caught my attention. I like what I am seeing. I want more! I will definitely be coming back to this La Aroma de Cuba Pasion Corona Gorda.