Pre-light Experience

The El Rey del Mundo Shade Grown Robusto comes in cellophane and has a UPC sticker with the cigar information which tears in half when opened. There are two bands, with a primary El Rey del Mundo band and a secondary white on orange and gold Shade Grown band. I weighed the cigar at 11.9 grams and the humidity, as measured by the HumidiMeter Pro, was 69.8%. Aromas from the wrapper included sweet tobacco, bread and wood. Out of the foot, I was picking up on sweet raisin, tobacco and wood.

First Third

Cream and bread starts the first third with chocolate to follow and light plus spices to finish. Lingering wood comes into the post draw after a short delay. Mild tannins and dryness join the finish as the first third settles in. Sweet tobacco is leading the profile as the first third continues.

Second Third

Creamy bread is the initial flavor with light plus spices following and dry wood defining the post draw. That post draw begins to linger on the palate between each puff. Creamy wood defines the retrohale as the second third continues.

Final Third

Dry wood leads off as sweet tobacco is largely fading into the background. Creaminess returns to the retrohale and brings medium strength tannic wood through the finish. That finish lingers heavily on the palate between draws. The tannins reduce in strength to light levels by the halfway point.

Burn

The burn was fairly straight in the first third, becoming uneven in the second third, eventually requiring a touch-up to correct. The burn continued relatively straight for the rest of the review.

Draw

The draw was a minor amount into the resistant spectrum, roughly 1-1/2 to 2 notches.

Overall

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. The draw was a minor amount into the resistant spectrum and the burn required a single touch-up to correct. 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. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 46 minutes.

John McTavish

SCORE

5.50

Cost/Point

$1.09

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: El Rey del Mundo Shade Grown Robusto