$26.00 is a little high for a cigar of this offering, but the Freud AlterEgo Robusto is an enjoyable blend. The first two thirds were really enjoyable, and I think if the final third had kept that going I would have been impressed. I do think the packaging hurts the overall cigar, but some would say I am a curmudgeon in that field. It was not over the top in terms of the Mexican wrapper flavors.
The Gurkha Ghost Connecticut Shadow stood out from the pack in the first third with interesting flavor combinations. Through the second and last thirds, the profile was more in line with a standard Connecticut Shade offering. I think the Gurkha Ghost Connecticut Shadow offered an above average flavor profile for a Connecticut Shade blend, with a price point that's fairly attractive for the 2023 market.
$6.95 MSRP per cigar for the Cavalier Genève Tres Delincuentes Habano Robusto. Let that soak in. In 2023, there is a cigar that is $6.95 that beats the majority of $15 plus priced cigars. Not just beat, but demolish. Watch out Illusione Rothchild, there's a new kid in town.
The Meerapfel Meir Robusto is a good cigar and a good Cameroon release. I would definitely smoke these again, and I would try the cigar out in a different vitola while coming back to this size as well. This is an expensive and limited release though, so I am not going to go crazy with purchasing. The truth is, there are other Cameroons out on the market. Lovely cigar with nice flavors. Would love to know the blend.
The Punch Brotherhood The People's Champ Brobusto had an average and basic flavor profile throughout. Nothing that really grabbed my attention. If you're a budget smoker, this may be something to look at, but if you don't mind spending more, I'd pass on this one as it's not a cigar I'd see myself coming back to.
This JRE Aladino Candela Robusto was an average candela. Price is nice, but it's an average candela. If it had some earthiness with the candela profile, it would have been better. A prettier wrapper would have helped the cigar as well. Nice lemon curd profile in the first two thirds. When it was paired with the cedar, lemongrass and white pepper notes, it was great. Just needed something more.
Celebrity backed brands like this are rarely something that I get excited about. Most of the time, the celebrity doesn't know a damn thing about what a good cigar/product at hand is. I can confidently say that the Blackened by Drew Estate M81 Robusto isn't in that scenario at all. Deliciously bold with earthiness, yet balanced with softer flavors. Nicely done.
The CAO BX3 Robusto started off fairly mellow, but by the second third, the fullness of flavors really ramped up. The enjoyment level was average throughout. The price point is attractive, but the overall experience doesn't really intrigue me enough to want to come back to this with any real frequency.
This E.P. Carrillo Allegiance Sidekick didn't quite do it for me. While the interplay of spice and roasted nuts gave it's best look within the second third, for the most part, the profile weighed too heavy on spice. For me, a flavor profile needs more than that to layer into the fold. It's a good baseline of flavors, just needs to build on it.
This Alfonso Añejos No. 2 is the route back to greatness for Selected Tobacco S.A. The early days of having incredible nuance, balance, and in general a great cigar is almost back with this release. This cigar (for the first two thirds) had such a large array of flavors that worked in great harmony. It's not often I smoke a cigar like this, but it is a treat.