Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto is between light and medium brown and has a network of decently raised veins present. The seams are smooth and the caps are adequately applied. There are two bands, both in black, gold and silver. The primary band denotes the brand along with a street sign for Belmont Ave. and the name of Chazz Palminteri. The secondary band denotes the line. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of cedar and slightly sweet hay while the foot brings a lightly musty cedar. The pre-light draw brings airy cedar with a bit of breadiness. There is also a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto is solid in appearance. Colorado Maduro wrapper. Small veins throughout with some nice oils. Bit of tooth. Firm in hand. Aromas of earth, leather, tobacco, wood and coffee. Packaging is good. Sometimes cigars of this nature have tacky packaging. This is good.
John: The A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto comes in cellophane with a UPC sticker that includes the cigar information and comes off in one piece when the cellophane is opened. There is a primary A Bronx Tale band along with a secondary Calogero band. I weighed the cigar at 14.8 grams and measured the humidity at 61.7% with the HumidiMeter Pro. Aromas from the cigar included tobacco, barnyard and light wood. Out of the foot, I was getting sweet tobacco and barnyard.

A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with a combination of earth, toasted cedar and burning paper. The retrohale is toasted cedar and a bit of burning paper. As the third comes to a close, the profile is a light mixture of toasted cedar up front, earth a bit behind and a bit of burning paper in the background. The strength was mild-medium.
Seth: The first third begins with some earth and tobacco notes. Bits of wood and coffee with leather and faint coffee and chocolate notes. Medium in strength and body. Not overly complex, but a decent core profile.
John: My first few puffs are chocolate, wood, creamy tobacco and mild earth with the creamy tobacco combining with wood on the finish. On the post draw, some spices come through after a short delay. Some chocolate is present on the retrohale as it the first third progresses. Slightly tannic wood adds to the finish not long after. By the bottom half, wood is driving the post draw.

A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, a menthol note joins in with the burning paper component. The retrohale remains toasted cedar and a bit of burning paper. At an inch in, the earth has departed from the profile. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar has the lead, but the burning paper and menthol notes aren’t too far behind. The strength remains mild-medium.
Seth: The second third is in line with that of the first. Some more mineral and pepper notes are present, but the core flavors of coffee, chocolate, earth and tobacco are present. Still medium in strength and body.
John: The second third starts with sweet tobacco, wood to follow and a mildly dry wood to finish. Chocolate returns to the retrohale at mild strength as it settles in. As the second third progresses towards the halfway point, the wood continues to build in intensity.

A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the burning paper and menthol notes have now become even with the toasted cedar up front. The retrohale remains toasted cedar and a bit of burning paper. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar, burning paper and menthol notes are all even. The strength remained at mild-medium.
Seth: The final third was right in line with the first and second. Some mineral notes were on the rise in this third, but it was still delivering that core flavor profile of earth, wood, tobacco, coffee and leather. Medium in strength and body.
John: My initial flavor impressions are mild chocolate, wood and a mild astringent wood to finish. That profile remains consistent until halfway where sweet tobacco has defined the center. There is a general dryness to the profile in the bottom half.

A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto

Burn

Aaron: The burn was straight through the first third, then became wavy the rest of the way and required one touch-up to keep things in unison. The ash held on in about one inch increments.
Seth: Great burn from start to finish.
John: The burn is razor straight through the review with the ash holding on in one inch increments.

A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: The draw was perfect throughout.
John: The draw is a minor amount into the resistant spectrum, roughly 1-1/2 to 2 notches which puts it as a very good rating for draw.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with a combination of earth, toasted cedar and burning paper. The second third saw a menthol note join in and the earth departed a bit later. The final third saw the toasted cedar, burning paper and menthol notes all become even. Based on my experience smoking the A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto, I’m going to say that this cigar was developed for casual or non-smokers that are familiar with the play/movie that the cigar is named for. The flavor profile isn’t something that I’d see regular cigar smokers going for. I’m a big fan of the movie, but the cigar, not so much. I’d put this in the bathroom stall with Frankie Coffeecake.
Seth: I feel like this is a cigar that should have been released during the Boom or very early in the 2000s. A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto seems to be 20 to 30 years late, but with how everything else is trending, maybe cigars like this are back in style. It is fairly one dimensional, but not offensive. It has a blend that is balanced by the Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco, and a wrapper that has a profile in line with the filler blends. It was an easy smoke. I would buy a box at an event with Chazz and even smoke through a handful of them at an event. Loved Chazz in The Usual Suspects. Analyze This too.
John: The A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto was pleasant to review with balanced and restrained flavor combinations through each third. The burn was perfect, with the draw a minor amount into the resistant spectrum. I didn’t find the flavor combinations to be particularly noteworthy or engaging, but I think the cigar came across as approachable for the average smoker. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 8 minutes.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

4.48

Cost/Point

$2.77

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.65

Cost/Point

$2.19

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.60

Cost/Point

$2.21

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: A Bronx Tale Calogero Robusto