Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Artista Harvest Robusto is between light and medium brown and has some raised veins present. The seams are smooth, caps well applied and the cigar has a trapezoid shaped press to it. The band is cream, yellow and gold and has the new company logo on front and name on back. The aroma from the wrapper is a light mix of hay and earth while the foot brings wood, earth and light ammonia note. The pre-light draw brings a dusty, aged cedar note along with a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The Artista Harvest Robusto has a Colorado colored wrapper. Few veins present, but medium in size. Nice press. Nice firmness. Aromas of grass, hay and barnyard on the wrapper. Earthy, tobacco, cocoa and pepper from the foot.
John: The Artista Harvest Robusto comes in cellophane and has a UPC sticker that comes off on the cellophane. The cigar is single banded and has an additional artisanal complication of being box pressed. I weighed the cigar at 14.5 grams and the humidity was measured with a HumidiMeter Pro at 65.9%. Aromas from the wrapper included a sweet raisin and tobacco. From the foot, there was sweet hay and tobacco.
Jiunn: The Artista Harvest Robusto has a Colorado Red wrapper shade in natural sunlight. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head is well wrapped and capped. Aromas from the wrapper tell of an assertive stank barnyard. Aromas from the foot give rich nuttiness and powerful black pepper spice. Cold draws reveal cedar and hay.

Team Cigar Review: Artista Harvest Robusto

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with dry, toasted cedar, black pepper and light mustiness. At a quarter inch in, some walnut nuttiness joins in. At a half inch in, some light earth joins the profile. The retrohale is toasted cedar, earth, walnut and mild black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, a light creaminess becomes present. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is up front, with earth right behind, then the walnut and black pepper a bit further back with light creaminess in the background. There is a dryness to the overall profile. The strength is right at medium.
Seth: I couldn’t get a draw. Didn’t matter what I did, I could not get the cigar to smoke.
John: The first third begins with baking spice sand wood, as both wood and hay combine through the finish. An earth joins that finish as it continues, with medium lingering spices between each puff. There is no more evolution through the first third as the profile remains stable.
Jiunn: The first third has a nice opening of roasted coffee beans, cream, lightly spiced cedar and minerals. Retrohaling gives celery seeds and dried red pepper spice. The finish is medium with layered cedar. Strength and body is medium.

Team Cigar Review: Artista Harvest Robusto

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the black pepper has become pretty mellow. At a half inch in, the earth is now even with the toasted cedar up front. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth and walnut. At an inch in, the creaminess has departed. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with walnut in the middle and black pepper in the background. The overall profile is still fairly dry. The strength remains at medium.
Seth: After cutting off the first third, I attempted to smoke from the second third. Nothing.
John: Baking spices lead off the second third with wood carrying the middle and gaining some mild tannins through the finish. Dry hay moves into the center as it settles and lingers well into the post draw. A few puffs later, baking spices mix in as well. Earth returns on the finish by the halfway point at medium strength.
Jiunn: The second third shows waves of tart cherries coming into the profile. And I am a total whore for this note. The other notes of roasted coffee beans, cream, lightly spiced cedar and minerals are all still intact. Strength is nearing medium-full and body maintains medium.

Team Cigar Review: Artista Harvest Robusto

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the earth takes a slight lead in the profile. At a half inch in, the black pepper picks up a bit. The retrohale is now toasted cedar and earth, with light walnut and black pepper. As the cigar wraps up, the earth is just ahead of the toasted cedar with walnut and black pepper a bit further behind. The strength remained at medium.
Seth: Deliverance of nothing.
John: The last third gets going with sweet, earthy tobacco. As the last third progresses, a strong earth is present through the finish. I don’t find any more changes through the remainder of the last third.
Jiunn: The final third shows less flavors, being primarily aged cedar and dried nuts. No more cherries tsk tsk. Strength and body overall remains medium.

Team Cigar Review: Artista Harvest Robusto

Burn

Aaron: The burn was a bit wavy throughout, but never needed any intervention. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.
Seth: Terrible.
John: The burn is uneven in the first third, eventually requiring a touch-up to intervene. The cigar goes out in the second third, requiring a re-light. The cigar goes out again in the second third, requiring a second re-light. The burn is uneven through the last third, but does not require any intervention.
Jiunn: Burn performance was perfect. Even burn, ample smoke production, tight ashes and cool burning temperature.

Team Cigar Review: Artista Harvest Robusto

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Little snug.
John: The draw was perfect, right in the ideal zone between open and resistant.
Jiunn: Draw performance was on point, providing the ideal balance between air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with dry, toasted cedar, black pepper and light mustiness. Some walnut nuttiness joined in fairly quickly and some creaminess a bit later. The second third saw the creaminess depart and the final third saw the earth take the lead in the profile. The Artista Harvest Robusto had an average flavor profile throughout. The flavor combination in the first third was the best, but the overall dryness of the profile held it back from taking a step up. The walnut component throughout was pretty nice, but just couldn’t overcome the dryness. The price point is attractive, but the overall experience just isn’t something I’d see myself coming back to with any real frequency.
Seth: Make the climb. Without the rope.
John: The first third on the Artista Harvest Robusto was interesting and engaging, but as the cigar progressed into the second third, it lost much of the dynamic flavor combinations, and while pleasant, was not as engaging. The last third was fairly flat. The draw was perfect while the burn struggled with a touch-up and two re-lights. The price point on the cigar is quite reasonable for the market, but based on the flavor performance, I can’t see myself returning to this. Total smoking time was a leisurely 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Jiunn: It’s been a while since I had a consistently good Artista. This Artista Harvest Robusto hits in all the great ways. Sweet, spicy, stone fruit, all working in great harmony. If you’re like me and pass on most Artista cigars, don’t turn your head on this one and try a few.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.65

Cost/Point

$1.81

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

0.00

Cost/Point

N/A

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.70

Cost/Point

$1.79

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.50

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Artista Harvest Robusto