Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Protocol Sir Robert Peel Natural Corona Gorda is marbled with a mix of light and medium browns. There is a network of medium and lightly raised veins. The seams are very smooth and the triple cap is applied fairly well. There are three bands, with the primary sitting on top of the secondary. They both carry a color combination of gold, white and burgundy. The foot band is a goldish ribbon. The aroma from the wrapper is musty hay and earth while the foot brings graham cracker. The pre-light draw brings a mix of black tea and cedar.

First Third

The cigar begins with an even mix of toasted oak and baking spice. At a half inch in, the baking spice has mellowed a bit. The retrohale starts with a baking spice zing and then allows oak to come through. At an inch in, a light mustiness joins the profile. At an inch and a half, a light earth joins in. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the toasted oak is up front with the baking spice in the middle and the earth and mustiness light in the background. At a quarter inch in, the earth has moved up to even with the toasted oak. At a half inch in, the baking spice is now very faint. The retrohale is now toasted oak and earth. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak and dry earth are even with the mustiness and baking spice light in the background. The strength in this third remained at medium.

Final Third

The final third sees a similar profile as the second but with a heavier toast now for the oak. The retrohale remains toasted oak and earth. At an inch in, the toast has transitioned to char and some bitterness has come along with it. The cigar wraps up with charred oak and dry earth up front and light mustiness, bitterness and baking spice in the background. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Burn

The burn was a bit wavy at times, but the big issue was the three re-lights that were necessary.

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The flavor profile was focused around toasted oak, baking spice and dry earth. There was a drop off in the final third as the toast transitioned to char along with some bitterness. 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.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.00

Cost/Point

$2.30

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Protocol Sir Robert Peel Natural Corona Gorda