Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109 is a light, golden brown and has a network of lightly raised veins. The seams are a bit raised while the 109 style head is well finished. There are two bands, both in an off-white and gold color combination. The primary denotes the company while the secondary denotes the blender. The aroma from the wrapper is a light mix of hay, construction paper and earth, while the foot brings cedar, bread and earth. The pre-light draw is a mix of cedar and cardboard.
Seth: The Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109 is a beautiful cigar. The 109 cap is fantastic, and the cigar is firm throughout. There are small veins present on the wrapper, and the coloring is that of golden hay. It has some Claro and Natural coloring, and the cigar has aromas of sweet spices, tobacco, sweet earth and coffee beans.
John: The Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109 does not come in cellophane and does not feature a UPC sticker. The cigar wears two bands: a primary Bond Roberts band and a secondary foot band indicating Blended by Hamlet. For artisanal complications, it features a 109-style cap. The cigar weighed 18.1 grams, and I measured the humidity at 68.1% using the Humidimeter Pro. Aromas from the wrapper included sweet wood, musty hay and tobacco. From the foot, I was picking up dusty wood and mild earth.
Jiunn: The Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109 has a beautiful oily Colorado Claro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even, and the conde 109 style head is well wrapped and capped. Pre-light aromas gives a mixture of black pepper spice and floral tones.

Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with lightly toasted cedar, some earth, mild black pepper and some construction paper. At a half inch in, the earth increases a bit while the construction paper becomes very light. The retrohale is toasted cedar and earth with very mild amounts of black pepper and cardboard. At an inch and a half in, the construction paper note picks back up. At an inch and three quarters, a light creaminess joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with construction paper in the middle of the profile and some black pepper and creaminess in the background. The strength was mild-medium.
Seth: The first third begins with sweet earth and tobacco notes. There are barnyard notes present with the cigar and notes of honey, cream and coffee. Cocoa notes present on the finish. Medium in strength and body.
John: The first third opens with a pleasing combination of sweet bread and tobacco, followed by sweet wood on the finish. Mild baking spices arrive through the post draw after a short delay. As the first third settles in, mild tannins begin to accent the finish. Baking spices and wood continue to develop through the retrohale, adding some depth to the experience. Musty tobacco moves into the center of the profile and combines with the baking spices, while mild earth joins the finish as the profile continues to develop. By the latter portion of the first third, baking spices move toward the front of the profile and build to medium-minus strength.
Jiunn: The first third is balanced and nuanced. Sweet, soft, creamy Hawaiian bread, vanilla wafers, barnyard, mild dried red pepper spice and accented minerals. Retrohaling gives more of the pepper spice as well as the bread, creamy and sweetness. The finish is very clean with lingering soft bread. Strength and body is medium.

Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the mild black pepper has departed. At three quarters of an inch in, the earth is now even with the toasted cedar up front. At an inch in, the black pepper returns, at a slightly higher level than before. The retrohale remains toasted cedar and earth with very mild amounts of black pepper and cardboard. At an inch and a quarter, some chalkiness joins the middle of the profile. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with construction paper and chalkiness in the middle of the profile and black pepper and creaminess in the back half. The strength bumped up to slightly below medium.
Seth: The second third continues to deliver those flavors from the first third. Sweet earth and tobacco with coffee and cream. Barnyard, sweet spice, honey and barnyard notes remain. Elegant cigar. Like before, medium in strength and body.
John: The second third begins with wood and musty tobacco leading the profile. Dry wood and mild spices combine through the finish at the end of each puff. Bread, tannic wood and medium-minus strength baking spices work together through the retrohale as the second third settles in. As the cigar progresses, the baking spices recede to light-plus strength. Approaching the halfway point, a general dryness begins to settle on the palate.
Jiunn: The second third is very similar to the first third except that there is more spice and mineral influence. But the same bread creamy and sweetness still remains. Strength and body remains medium.

Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the toast level increases. At a half inch in, the construction paper increases a bit. The retrohale is now a fuller toasted cedar and earth with more cardboard and still some mild black pepper. At an inch and a half in, the chalkiness becomes pretty dense and increases to become even with the construction paper. At an inch and three quarters, the toast level has become pretty heavy. As the cigar wraps up, the heavily toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with construction paper and dense chalkiness a bit behind. The black pepper is a bit behind the middle of the profile with light creaminess in the background. The strength bumped up to medium.
Seth: The final third is in line with the first and second. Honey, cream and coffee notes are present with barnyard, tobacco and earth notes. There is some nice spice and cocoa on the finish. Like the first two thirds, medium in strength and body.
John: The final third opens with bread, musty tobacco and tannic wood, with dry cedar defining the finish. Sweet musty tobacco becomes the core of the profile as tannic wood provides accent notes through the middle of the final third. Medium-strength earth joins the post draw through the bottom half, adding weight but also reinforcing the growing dryness.
Jiunn: The final third becomes a bit mundane and less engaging. It’s now mainly minerals and cedar with the sweetness and creaminess being an afterthought. Strength and body finishes the same medium.

Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109

Burn

Aaron: The burn line was a bit wavy at times and needed one touch-up to keep things even. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.
Seth: The burn was very good from beginning to end.
John: The burn was relatively straight through the first third and remained straight through both the second and final thirds.
Jiunn: Burn performance was spot on, providing an even burn, tight ashes and cool burning temperatures.

Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: The draw was great from start to finish.
John: I measured the draw at 80 inches of water using the Cigar Medics Draw Machine. Subjectively, the draw registered at roughly 3½–4 notches toward the resistant spectrum, making it quite snug. Once the burn settled in, the draw opened to around 2½–3 notches toward resistance, placing it squarely in resistant territory. Having been on the tasting panel for this cigar, it’s worth noting that this level of resistance is an intentional design choice.
Jiunn: Draw was slightly snug. Not a big deal as it didn’t impact the flavors but a notable one.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with lightly toasted cedar, some earth, mild black pepper and some construction paper. The earth increased fairly quickly. Later, a light creaminess joined the profile. The second third saw the black pepper depart and then return. The earth became even with the toasted cedar up front. Later, some chalkiness joined the middle of the profile. The final third saw the toast level become pretty heavy and the construction paper and chalkiness increased and the chalkiness became quite dense. The Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109 had an average flavor profile throughout, focused around the toasted cedar and earth, with the construction paper and chalkiness not too far behind. This cigar was pretty on par with the Linea D No. 6 that we reviewed previously. I get the target of a Cuban style cigar using Honduran tobacco, but it just isn’t at that level, or even really close at least to me. Not a cigar I’d see myself returning to.
Seth: I really liked the Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109. I felt the cigar was beautiful in appearance, and a great smoking experience from beginning to end. The flavors of cocoa, cream, honey and coffee were wonderful, and paired great with the core profiles throughout. There was not an abundance of transitioning, but it had wonderful depth and complexity. I liked so many aspects of the cigar and would love to smoke it often. Great for the morning and afternoon.
John: The Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109 delivers a composed, deliberate experience that feels very much by design rather than by accident. From the outset, the cigar leans into classic, old-world flavor components of bread, musty tobacco, wood and restrained spice, which is presented in a measured and controlled way. The first third shows the most promise, offering a balanced interplay between sweetness, baking spices and evolving tobacco character that feels thoughtful and intentional. As the cigar moves on, however, the profile begins to narrow. Dryness and tannic wood gradually assert themselves, and while the flavors remain clean and well-defined, they don’t meaningfully expand or evolve. The resistant draw, acknowledged as a deliberate choice, slows the pace and encourages a more contemplative smoking cadence, but it also reinforces the cigar’s firm, structured nature. By the final third, earth and tannins add weight without necessarily adding complexity, and the cigar settles into a steady, predictable finish. Nothing ever goes off the rails, but nothing truly surprises either. In the end, the Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109 feels like a cigar built for those who appreciate restraint, structure and classic flavor themes over dynamism or bold transitions. It is a competent, well-constructed smoke that ultimately stays within its own carefully drawn lines. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 39 minutes.
Jiunn: When I first heard about Hamlet joining forces with Rocky and leaving Cuba, this is the profile that I had in mind. That is, something that is more Cubanesque (meaning, loads of easy going flavors without a lot of strength). Years and years later, well here it is. And I am so glad to smoke this Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109. Unband this and give it to a die hard Cuban cigar only guy and look at their surprised faces.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.55

Cost/Point

$3.78

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.92

Cost/Point

$3.04

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.80

Cost/Point

$3.62

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.67

Cost/Point

$3.15

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Bond Roberts Línea D No.01 109