Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Cuban Cigar Factory Manolo Quesada Robusto is between light and medium brown and has a few decently raised veins present. The seams are very smooth and fairly hard to detect while the head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. The band is black and gold in the upper portion and denotes the brand name while the lower portion is light blue with white text that denotes Manolo Quesada. The aroma from the wrapper is wood and tobacco sweetness while the foot brings black tea and tobacco sweetness. The pre-light draw brings a slightly sweet cedar.

Pre-light Experience

The Cuban Cigar Factory Manolo Quesada Robusto has a UPC code designed on the cellophane to stay intact when the cellophane is opened. The wrapper on the cigar is a chocolate brown color, and quite smooth throughout. Nosing the cigar, I was able to pick up aromas of baking spices and cedar. From the foot, there was mild raisin.

Pre-light Experience

The Cuban Cigar Factory Manolo Quesada Robusto has a lighter brown Colorado Claro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight but visible, bunch and roll even and head finished off with a triple cap. Wrapper aromas tell cedar, hay and barnyard. Cold draw gives cedar and hay.

First Third

The cigar begins with a stale cedar and light mustiness. At a half inch in, the stale note lessens slightly as the mustiness increases a bit. The retrohale brings a fuller version of the lightly stale cedar and mustiness. As the third comes to a close, a chalkiness joins the profile. The strength in this third was mild-medium.

First Third

Graham cracker, creamy sweetness and baking spices to finish as the first third begins. There is faint wood present on the post draw. That creamy graham cracker joins the retrohale. As the first third settles in, dryness accents that faint wood. In the bottom half of the third, mild tannins join the post draw.

First Third

The first third has a medium body and strength profile. Flavors of cedar, toast, cherry cordials and a hint of cardboard. Retrohaling deepens the cedar and sweetness of toast. The finish is slightly dry with namely a lingering cedar.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the stale note attached to the cedar is very faint while the mustiness and chalkiness are even behind the cedar. At a half inch in, the chalkiness is now pretty light and the stale note has left the profile. The retrohale brings mustiness slightly ahead of the cedar. As the third comes to a close, the profile remains musty cedar with light chalkiness. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly below medium.

Second Third

Sweet cedar with tannic edges as the profile moves into the second third. Graham cracker is present but is pushed down in strength from the cedar. By the halfway point, dry cedar has moved into the center of the flavor profile.

Second Third

The second third shows some baking spices coming through, giving an added layer of minerality. Other than that, it’s becoming more cedar and cardboard forward, losing out especially on the cherry cordials of the first third. Strength and body is still medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, some bitterness is now attached to the cedar and sits on my tongue with a long finish. The chalkiness is no longer present in the profile. At a half inch in, a light char joins as the bitterness becomes a bit lighter. The retrohale is slightly charred cedar and mustiness. As the cigar comes to a close, the profile is lightly charred and slightly bitter cedar and mustiness. The strength in this third bumped up to medium.

Final Third

Graham cracker and cedar lead the flavors going into the last third. Dry cedar takes up the middle of the profile, and the post draw. That cedar becomes the primary flavor for the remainder of the third.

Final Third

The final third becomes sweeter (like a bread dessert). But unfortunately, the cardboard note throws off the sweetness. Further, there’s less mineral influence. Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn line was a bit wavy, but always maintained itself. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Burn

The burn is very straight throughout, with a 2+ inch ash. The wrapper cracks in the bottom half of the first third, however it doesn’t seem to impact the burn or draw.

Burn

Burn performance was almost perfect. The only (minor) points lost was the uneven burn at times, which required a couple quick touch-ups.

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar began with a stale cedar and light mustiness. Some chalkiness joined at the end of the third. The second third saw the stale note leave the profile. The final third dropped the chalkiness as some char and bitterness joined the cedar. Construction was very good and strength built from mild-medium up to medium. The Cuban Cigar Factory Manolo Quesada Robusto began with an average flavor profile as a stale cedar note is never a good time. The chalkiness also put a damper on things. The final third dropped a bit more due to the char and bitterness. I was interested to see what Ventura would do with this brand and I have to say it’s a bit of a disappointment, especially with putting Manolo Quesada’s name on it. Add that to the high price point, and I doubt I come back to this cigar again.

Draw

The draw is very good, with some resistance at roughly 1-1/2 to 2 notches.

Overall

The Cuban Cigar Factory Manolo Quesada Robusto from Ventura starts out with a dessert like flavor combination in the first third. As the cigar progresses, a general wood flavor takes over, and that trend continues for the remainder of the smoking experience. Overall, I found the experience to be average. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 24 minutes.

Draw

Draw was perfect, striking the ideal air flow and resistance.

Overall

This is a great example of how one flavor can greatly alter the overall flavor profile. The cardboard note, while it can be a passable flavor, can easily over-take the entire profile. For the Cuban Cigar Factory Manolo Quesada Robusto, the cardboard started subdued but kept building to the point where it sort of ruined the other flavors. That really is too bad because there are some great flavors to the cigar. I’ll put this on the back burner to revisit down the road.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.30

Cost/Point

$2.45

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.95

Cost/Point

$2.18

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.00

Cost/Point

$2.16

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Cuban Cigar Factory Manolo Quesada Robusto