Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a mottled light brown color with veins that are pretty well hidden along with seams that are barely noticeable. With all that said, it still looks very rustic. The head has a very well applied triple cap. The band is burgundy and gold and about an inch and three quarters at its longest length. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of barnyard, chocolate and light stone fruit sweetness. The foot gives a mix of hay and raisin sweetness. The pre-light draw brings a mix of leather and hay sweetness.

Pre-light Experience

Alpha The Defuser Claro Robusto has a pale medium light brown wrapper. Veins and seams are for the most part well pressed. The head if finished off with a thick, well applied triple cap. Nosing the wrapper gives primarily dry cardboard and mustiness. Nosing the foot tells dry cardboard, white pepper and mixed nuts. Cold draw gives cedar, mustiness and cardboard.

First Third

Initial draws bring soft notes of wood and black pepper. At a half inch in, the wood note gains some darkness and the pepper goes away. There is also a slight bit of chocolate that has appeared in the background. At an inch in, the mix of dark wood and chocolate is very smooth. The retrohale carries the same smooth profile. As the third comes to a close, not much has changed as the dark wood and chocolate mixture continues. The profile has a refreshing type quality to it, which is interesting. The strength in this third was mild-medium.

First Third

First third thankfully isn’t like the mundane pre-light draw experience. The cigar is dry on the palate with namely wood and spice, particularly dry cedar and black pepper. There is also a dirt like grit as well as mixed nuts. Past the inch mark, the cigar becomes nutty, pairing very well with the mixed nuts. Retrohaling gives increased black pepper and greater sense of nutty mixed nuts. The finish is a long and lingering dry wood and cardboard. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the wood loses the dark note and a bit of baking spice joins in with the chocolate. At a half inch in, the chocolate fades away and it is just a mix of wood and baking spice. At an inch in, the spice begins to pick up a bit. As the third comes to a close, the profile is now a spicy wood, maybe cedar that has a nice smoothness to it. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

Second Third

Second third picks up a stale bitterness and cigar ash layering the entire palate. This makes the dry cedar, black pepper and mixed nuts less noticeable. The retrohale is now primarily black pepper driven with less distinct mixed nuts. The finish is still a long and lingering dry wood and cardboard. Strength nears medium full, while body stays medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the spicy cedar note continues on. The retrohale also carries a nice zing to it. At a quarter inch in, some mintiness joins the spicy cedar. At a half inch in, the spicy wood becomes a bit drying. As the cigar comes to a close, the spicy cedar is still slightly drying and there is a bit of mintiness that still lingers. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Final Third

Final third is the same as the second third. The profile is still mainly stale bitterness and cigar ash with dry cedar, black pepper and mixed nuts in the background. Retrohaling is still black pepper driven with mixed nuts in the backdrop. Finish continues to be a long and lingering dry wood and cardboard. Strength is still moving towards medium-full and body at a consistent medium.

Burn

The burn was perfect. Razor sharp the entire way and the ash held on in about two inch increments.

Burn

The cigar’s burn performance was great. The only negative was a slight flowering of the ash within the first third. Aside from that, razor sharp burn line, self tapped ashes averaging 1.5 inch increments and a cool and steady burn throughout the entire time.

Draw

The draw was just slightly tighter than I prefer, but in the overall scheme of things, just a very minor thing.

Overall

I was very curious to see what experience this cigar would provide being the exact same blend as the Absinthe infused version but without the infusion. In the end, the cigar was good and shows that the base of the Absinthe infused concept uses a cigar that can stand on its own before the infusion process. While it is nothing that would blow someone away, it would be a great cigar to introduce someone to cigars as the strength level starts fairly mild and tops out right at medium. The flavors begin soft and slowly increase in fullness which provides a great transition level. I would say that it’s worth anyone’s time to give this cigar a try.

Draw

The draw, although slightly tight for my liking, did not disappoint. I was able to get all that the cigar had to offer without focusing on the draw.

Overall

I found The Defuser Claro to be overall an average tasting profile with excellent construction. As heard from Coop’s Prime Time Show, this cigar uses premium long filler tobaccos that can be judged by your palate. It won’t wow you nor will it disappoint you, but it is assuring to know the infused version is based off this all natural long filler tobacco blend.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.13

Cost/Point

$1.42

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.00

Cost/Point

$1.45

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Alpha The Defuser Claro Robusto