Pre-light Experience

The Protocol Sir Robert Peel Maduro Corona Gorda is pretty rustic looking with a dark brown wrapper that has some thick, raised veins running down the back along with some overall, general lumpiness. The seams are very smooth while the caps are lifting a bit. There are three bands, with the primary sitting atop the secondary, with both carrying a burgundy and gold color combination. The foot band is a burgundy ribbon. The aroma from the wrapper is lightly damp earth and stone fruit sweetness while the foot brings wood and stone fruit sweetness. The pre-light draw brings musty wood and light stone fruit sweetness along with a mild spiciness on my lips.

First Third

The cigar begins with an even mix of wood, dark earth and black pepper. At a half inch in, the black pepper has mellowed. The retrohale is an even mix of wood and earth with very mild black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, some mustiness joins the profile. The third wraps up with wood, dark earth with light amounts of mustiness and black pepper. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

The second third now shows the mustiness teamed up with the wood while the earth isn’t as dark and the black pepper is still in the background. The retrohale is now musty wood and dry earth. As the third wraps up, the wood gains a light dampness, along with the mustiness with the dry earth a bit behind and the black pepper now very mild. The strength in this third remained at medium.

Final Third

The final third continues with the musty, damp wood, dry earth and mild black pepper. The retrohale remains musty wood and dry earth. At three quarters of an inch in, the musty, damp wood gains some toast. The cigar wraps up with the musty, damp, toasted wood up front, dry earth a bit behind and mellow black pepper. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Burn

The burn was a bit wavy at times and the cigar did go out once, requiring a re-light. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The cigar had a nice start with a nice balance of flavor, but by the second third the profile became fairly average and maintained that level the rest of the way. Construction was pretty good. 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.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$2.00

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Protocol Sir Robert Peel Maduro Corona Gorda