Cigar Details: Cubariqueño Protocol Jane Doe
- Vitola: Toro
- Length: 6″
- Ring Gauge: 52
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Wrapper: Undisclosed
- Binder: Undisclosed
- Filler: Undisclosed
- Factory: La Zona
- Blender: Hector Alfonso
- Price: $9.90
- Release Date: June 2019
- Source: Cubariqueño
Pre-light Experience
The Cubariqueño Protocol Jane Doe has a very soft box press and the wrapper is a medium reddish-brown color. There are a few slightly raised veins and the seams are easily visible as they are lifted a bit. The head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. The band is a plain white paper band. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of wood, sweet hay and earth while the foot brings tobacco sweetness and wood. The pre-light draw is a mix of wood, hay and mild white pepper.
Pre-light Experience
The Cubariqueño Protocol Jane Doe is nicely pressed and finished with a solid triple cap. It has a nice light colored wrapper and it is a combination of Natural and Colorado. There are some small veins present throughout and it has an aroma of barnyard, fruits, meat, tobacco and light spices.
Pre-light Experience
The Cubariqueño Protocol Jane Doe has a light chocolate wrapper, featuring a soft box press. The band is a plain white paper band. Nosing the wrapper, I am able to smell aromas of leather, medium strength cedar and light plus barnyard underneath. In the foot, I’m only able to get sweet tobacco.
Pre-light Experience
The Cubariqueño Protocol Jane Doe has a medium natural brown wrapper shade with a very fine grit sandpaper feel. The soft pressed cigar has well pressed major veins, seams are tight, bunch and roll even and head finished off with a well wrapped triple cap. Aromas from the wrapper give wet barnyard and pencil lead. Aromas from the foot tell rich nuttiness and spicy cedar. Cold draw tells cedar, hay and a hint of herbal tea qualities.
First Third
The cigar begins with charred wood and a concentrated black pepper. At a half inch in, the char and black pepper have both lightened up a fair amount. At an inch in, the char has picked back up while the black pepper remains at a light level. A mellow dry earth joins the profile as well. The retrohale consist of a lightly charred wood. As the third comes to a close, the charred wood is up front with light black pepper and dry earth in the background. The strength in this third was right at medium.
First Third
The first third opens up with some sweet spices and there is some herbal qualities with that. I am picking up some damp earth notes with that and it has a finish of cinnamon, coffee and slight citrus. I would classify the cigar as being medium in strength and the body is around a medium-full level with the flavor there as well.
First Third
The first third opens with dry cedar and faint leather on the post draw. On the retrohale, faint background cocoa, then a full bodied blast of baking spices that brings lingering spices on the post draw. Toasted barbecue joins the middle of the flavor profile, and pepper joins the post draw. The evolution continues as dry cedar comes into the middle of the profile, the faint cocoa on the retrohale picking up intensity, bringing mild bready notes with it. By the point the cigar has settled into the first third, the intensity of the spices has faded to medium, and cedar moves into the post draw.
First Third
The first third has a mix of good flavors as well as one fairly major over-powering flavor that creates an average smoking experience. The good flavors consists of nuts, cherries and cedar. The downside of it is a char that remains on the palate and finish. Retrohaling is the best part as the char isn’t noticeable and instead a nice spicy cedar and nuttiness pulls through. Strength is nearing medium-full and body is medium.
Second Third
As the second third begins, the char has mellowed some. At a quarter inch in, the char has ramped back up. At a half inch in, the black pepper has dropped out of the profile while the light dry earth remains. The retrohale is now showing a toasted oak. At an inch and a quarter, the char mellows once again. As the third comes to a close, the char increased just a bit. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.
Second Third
The second third shows some slight transition and I am picking up some bread notes with some nice citrus spice. There are some peppery qualities present with that and it has a finish of cinnamon, earth and wood. The strength is remaining at that medium level like before and the body and flavors are right around a medium-full level.
Second Third
During the transition, light plus leather joins the post draw. Bread and cedar join the retrohale, with cedar on the mid profile and light plus spices on the post draw. There is some initial earthiness on the middle of the profile but it quickly fades as the cigar settles in. In the bottom half of the second third, mild spices join the retrohale and balance nicely with the bread and cedar.
Final Third
As the final third begins, the char is dominating the profile once again as it is up front and has a long finish. At a half inch in, the char mellows again, letting the wood lead the profile. There is still a dry earthiness in the background. The retrohale maintains the toasted oak note along with a little bit of heat. As the cigar comes to a close, it begins to heat up which brings a pine note along with some bitterness. The strength in this third bumped up to medium-full.
Final Third
I am in the final third of the cigar now and it is showing a resurrection in some flavors. I am picking up some citrus spice notes and with that is some earthy, woody, nutty and toast qualities. It is a solid finish and an improvement to the second third. The strength of the cigar is still at that medium level and like before, the body and flavors are right around medium-full.
Final Third
The post draw is entirely defined by cedar going into the last third. The retrohale still has a pleasant breadiness to it, with earth finishing the draw. Once the last third settles in, light leather joins the post draw.
Burn
The burn was fairly wavy and required one touch-up and one re-light. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.
Burn
The burn was solid on the cigar from start to finish. At no point was it perfect, but at the same time I was not getting any problems that required touch-ups or correcting.
Burn
The burn is straight at the beginning of the first third, lopsided in the bottom half, eventually resulting in a touch-up. The burn is lopsided in the second third but self corrects. The burn is fairly straight through the last third.
Draw
The draw was slightly looser than I prefer but didn’t cause an issue with the smoking experience.
Overall
The cigar started with charred wood and a concentrated black pepper, The pepper eased up fairly quickly and the char fluctuated from mellow to full. The profile was quite heavy the whole way and the char really dominated at times masking any other flavors. The Cubariqueño Protocol Jane Doe isn’t a cigar I’d likely return to as it didn’t provide any enjoyable flavors. It’s a disappointment coming from a brand that I’ve enjoyed all of their other releases that I’ve tried. I’d pass on it unless you have a heavy drive to give it a try.
Draw
The draw was great on this cigar. There was a nice bit of resistance and it made for a nice smoking experience with the pressed offering.
Overall
Overall, the Cubariqueño Protocol Jane Doe was a solid cigar that has some qualities which I really enjoyed. The flavor profile had some high points and low points, slight bit of inconsistency which was a shame, and I just wish there was a little extra something to take the blend to a higher level. The first third and final third were fairly solid, but the second third had some low points which really hurt the cigar. With that being said, the body, strength and flavor combination were very enjoyable. I thought the cigar really had something with that combination and if the flavors were better it would have helped out greatly in making this a great cigar. There was a nice draw with the cigar and I was a little surprised by how it actually burned from start to finish. A little disappointed in that sense.
Draw
The draw is 1 to 1-1/2 notches towards the resistant spectrum.
Overall
The Cubariqueño Protocol Jane Doe is medium strength with enjoyable complexity through the first and second thirds. The cigar has a range of flavors from cedar, leather, cocoa, bread, pepper, baking spices and earth. Overall, I enjoyed the Protocol Jane Doe and would happily smoke it again. My total smoking time was 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Draw
The draw, although slightly loose, was still considered very good.
Overall
The Cubariqueño Protocol Jane Doe cigar is the first Cubariqueño I’ve disliked. In the midst of all the accolades, I guess one has to be a dud? The heavy char really killed the flavor profile for me, creating a palate caking unwanted heaviness. Further, having to wrestle with the average burn didn’t help either. On to the next one.
Aaron | Seth | John | Jiunn | |||
Average | Pre Light | Good | Pre Light | Good | Pre Light | Good |
Average | First Third | Good | First Third | Good | First Third | Average |
Subpar | Second Third | Average | Second Third | Good | Second Third | Subpar |
Subpar | Final Third | Good | Final Third | Average | Final Third | Subpar |
Good | Burn | Good | Burn | Very Good | Burn | Average |
Very Good | Draw | Very Good | Draw | Very Good | Draw | Very Good |
Subpar | Overall | Average | Overall | Good | Overall | Subpar |
10 comments
Join the conversationNathan Wilkerson - August 19, 2019
Great reviews as always – I’d love to give this one a try, but it sounds like I’ll be looking for them cheap or maybe through trade.
John Marzella - August 19, 2019
I’m glad I had the pleasure of buying 3 bundles of the Jane Doe. Phenomenal Cigar, from the burn to the taste. I loved every puff I took out of the cigar right to the nub. It’s a shame that this was a limited release.
John Marzella - August 19, 2019
I disagree with many of the reviews given on this site.
Phenomenal cigar. It’s a shame it was a limited release. I loved every puff I took all the way to the nub.
Bob Langmaid - August 19, 2019
Just love Protocol cigars!!
Chase Abernathy - August 19, 2019
Sounds like it’d be in my wheelhouse.
Donald Santos - August 19, 2019
Nice review really I can’t wait to actually try one for myself
Tim McCabe - August 19, 2019
I personally think you can’t go wrong with any of the Protocol blends. Your not gonna please everyone. I myself am a huge fan. Good luck everyone and thanks Developing Palates.
Kevin Acuff - August 23, 2019
Love the in depth reviews and fresh viewpoints
Garrett Lathan - August 23, 2019
Fitting name for a cigar with so many undisclosed components. Hope it doesn’t mean it’s dead on arrival. Though the review seems to indicate otherwise.
Yaser Fahmy - August 25, 2019
Cant wait to try the Jane Doe. You guys do a great job of reviewing cigars. Love seeing it from multiple angles and different palates!