Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the O.M. Cigar Essential Blend No. 2 Robusto XL is medium brown with a lighter shade around the decently raised veins. The seams are raised in some areas while caps are very well applied. There are three bands, with the primary and secondary both carrying a black, blue and copper color combination. The primary denotes the company while the secondary denotes the series. The foot has a baby blue ribbon. The aroma from the wrapper is a light mix of bakers chocolate and earth while the foot brings barn wood. The pre-light draw brings a very light musty cedar.

First Third

The cigar begins with oak and light baking spice. At a quarter inch in, a light mustiness joins the profile. At a half inch in, a mesquite smokiness becomes present. The retrohale is toasted oak with light earth and black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the baking spice is pretty mellow. As the third comes to a close, the oak is up front with mesquite smokiness in the middle and baking spice and mustiness in the background. The strength was right at medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the oak gains a light toast. At a half inch in, some light earth joins the profile. The retrohale is now musty oak with light earth and black pepper. At an inch in, the baking spice has transitioned to a lightly creamy black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak is up front, with the mesquite smokiness and earth a fair bit behind and creamy black pepper and mustiness in the background. The strength remained at medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the earth picks up a bit. At a half inch in, the earth is now right behind the toasted oak and the mesquite smokiness has departed. At three quarters of an inch in, a vegetal note joins the middle of the profile. The retrohale is now oak and a light vegetal note. At an inch in, the vegetal note has mellowed a fair amount. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted oak is up front, with earth in the middle and creamy black pepper mustiness and vegetal note in the background. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.

Burn

The burn was a bit of an issue as it was wavy throughout and it went out three times, requiring re-lights.

Draw

The draw was pretty snug and a draw tool only brought slight relief.

Overall

The cigar began with oak and light baking spice. A light mustiness joined in fairly quickly and a mesquite smokiness a bit later. The second third saw the oak gain a toast note and the baking spice transition to lightly creamy black pepper. The final third saw the mesquite smokiness depart and a vegetal note join in. The O.M. Cigar Essential Blend No. 2 Robusto XL had an average flavor profile throughout. Some interesting flavors, but nothing that created an intriguing profile. The burn issues, along with the tight draw, made for a bit of an issue throughout. Not a cigar I’d see myself returning to.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.05

Cost/Point

$2.38

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: O.M. Cigar Essential Blend No. 2 Robusto XL