Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Bond Roberts Línea D No. 06 Petit 109 is light brown with some darker freckles and there are some thick, raised veins running down the back of the cigar. The seams are smooth and the 109 style head is well finished. There are two bands, both in an off-white and crass color combination. The primary denotes the brand, while the secondary denotes who the blender is. The aroma from the wrapper is a faint mix of cedar and earth while the foot brings an airy, lightly musty humidor aroma. The pre-light draw brings musty cedar with light amounts of hay and earth. There is also a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: Then Bond Roberts Línea D No. 06 Petit 109 is a decent looking cigar. It has a Colorado wrapper with some toothy aspects. Soft oils present throughout with veins. Firm in hand with aromas of earth, spices, barnyard and tobacco. Nice tapered head.
John: The Bond Roberts Línea D No. 06 Petit 109 did not come in cellophane and did not have a UPC sticker. There is a primary ‘BOND ROBERTS’ band along with a secondary ‘BLENDED BY HAMLET’ band. For additional artisanal complications, the cigar has a 109 style cap. I weighed the cigar at 15.4 grams and measured the humidity to 59.9% with the HumidiMeter Pro. Aromas from the wrapper included musty, sweet tobacco and hay. From the foot, I could detect sweet tobacco and mild plum.

Bond Roberts Línea D No.06 Petit 109

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted cedar, earth and slightly sharp baking spice. At a quarter inch in, the baking spice transitions to a slightly sharp black pepper. The retrohale is toasted cedar, earth and mild black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper loses the sharpness, but still has a bold presence. There is also a light creaminess that has joined in. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with the black pepper a bit behind and some light creaminess in the background. The strength was right at medium.
Seth: The first third begins with soft spices, earth and soft cream. It’s a lovely cigar with some tobacco and coffee beans on the finish. Medium in strength and body.
John: The first third gets going with creamy spices at medium strength, which is followed by wood and earth as the spices move up to medium-full on the finish, combining with earth. The post draw is a punch of medium pepper. As the first third settles in, chocolate and bread come into the retrohale with musty tobacco in the post draw as the pepper comes down in strength to light-plus. The chocolate on the retrohale moves up to medium strength as it continues. The musty finish is being pushed aside by sweet tobacco as the cigar approaches the halfway point. Some saltiness joins the retrohale a few puffs later. In the bottom half, sweet tobacco teams up with bread, and medium strength spices in the middle, finishing tobacco, salt and mild mustiness.

Bond Roberts Línea D No.06 Petit 109

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the toast level increases a bit as the black pepper mellows a bit. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth and a bit bolder black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with the black pepper just ahead of the middle of the profile and some light creaminess in the background. The strength has bumped up to slightly above medium.
Seth: The second third delivers a continuation of the first third. There are soft spice notes with lovely earth, tobacco and soft cream profile. Faint mocha qualities are on the finish while the cigar continues to smoke at a medium level for strength and body.
John: The second third greets me with creamy bread, followed by sweet tobacco, medium strength spices and mildly dry wood to finish. As it continues, bread is leading each puff with light, musty tobacco in the center. A citrus sweetness and acidity joins the center of the profile as it approaches the halfway point. By the halfway point, light-plus spices and wood are defining the post draw. Through the bottom half, tannins accent the wood finish.

Bond Roberts Línea D No.06 Petit 109

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the black pepper becomes a bit dull. At a half inch in, the pepper brightens back up and increases a bit. The retrohale remains toasted cedar, earth and a bit bolder black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper is now right behind the cedar and earth. As the cigar comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with the black pepper right behind and some light creaminess in the background. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third is in line with that of the first and second. Soft spices, cream, barnyard, tobacco and soft earth. Mocha on the finish. Again, the cigar smokes at a medium level for strength and body.
John: The last third opens with creamy wood, an earthy center and earth and wood teaming up for the finish. Tannins join the wood on the post draw. As it continues, there’s a toasted popcorn center to the profile and some mild bitterness on the finish. Bread returns to the retrohale as the cigar marches towards the halfway point. The bitterness has faded by the halfway point. In the bottom half, the cigar begins to heat up and takes on a toasted quality.

Bond Roberts Línea D No.06 Petit 109

Burn

Aaron: The burn was straight through the first half of the cigar, but the cigar went out once in the second third and also required a touch-up towards the end of the second third. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.
Seth: The burn was solid throughout.
John: The burn was straight through the review process.

Bond Roberts Línea D No.06 Petit 109

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Draw was good from start to finish.
John: The draw was at most one notch towards the open spectrum which puts it in the ideal range between open and resistant for an amazing draw score.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted cedar, earth and slightly sharp baking spice. The baking spice transitioned to black pepper fairly quickly. Some light creaminess joined a bit later. The second third saw the black pepper mellow a bit and then the pepper ramped back up in the final third. The Bond Roberts Línea D No. 06 Petit 109 had an average flavor profile throughout. It was pretty linear and mundane, just focused around the toasted cedar, earth and black pepper. I was curious to see how this Hamlet blended cigar out of Honduras would perform, but it wasn’t all that interesting. I’d be curious to see what future offerings can do, but I wouldn’t see myself coming back this cigar.
Seth: The Bond Roberts Línea D No. 06 Petit 109 was good from start to finish. It was not overly complex, but it had a solid flavor profile that continued from start to finish. Draw and burn were good as well. I loved the blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobacco in the cigar, and the use of the Honduran wrapper. It is a cigar that smokes well now, but I believe will also age very well.
John: My takeaway from the review of the Bond Roberts Línea D No. 06 Petit 109 is that it showcases some of the great qualities of Honduran tobacco without those flavor components taking over or becoming unbalanced. Both the draw and burn were perfect. I was fortunate enough to be on the tasting panel during the process of this cigar’s development. I thoroughly enjoyed the final release of the Linea D No. 06 Petit 109, and I’ll happily smoke more of these in the future. The total smoking time was 2 hours and 9 minutes.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.45

Cost/Point

$2.94

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.22

Cost/Point

$2.57

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$2.35

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Bond Roberts Línea D No. 06 Petit 109