Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown No. 60 is on the darker side of medium brown and has a prominent vein running down one side and some shallower veins on the other side. The seams are easily visible as they are raised and the head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. There are two bands with the primary showing a woman in front of a burgundy background as some palm fronds are in front of a blue sky background on both sides. The secondary band is a strip band and has the same burgundy color with gold borders and yellow text. The aroma from the wrapper is wood with a subtle stone fruit sweetness. The foot brings a full prune note along with some wood. The pre-light draw is wood, stone fruit sweetness along with some crushed red pepper on my tongue and my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown No. 60 has a dark rosado colored wrapper. There is a primary and secondary band, the primary band indicating the company ‘Cuesta-Rey’ and the secondary band indicating ‘Centro Fino Sungrown’. Nosing the wrapper, I was able to pick up faint cedar and barnyard. In the foot, there is faint, sweet tobacco and some sherry notes.

Pre-light Experience

The Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown No. 60 has a copper red Colorado Red wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and head finished off with a well wrapped cap. Aromas from the wrapper give faint cedar and mixed nuts. Aromas from the foot tell cedar, jammy plums and hay. Cold draw gives cedar and hay.

First Third

The cigar begins with wood, mustiness and a concentrated mineral, almost metallic note. At a half inch in, the concentrated mineral note is just that and no longer teetering on a metallic note. At three quarters of an inch in, the wood is now more defined as oak and the mineral note has mellowed a bit. The retrohale is toasted oak and mustiness. As the third comes to a close, the profile is toasted and musty oak with a mild minerality and some dry earthiness which has joined in. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

My initial flavor impressions are light cedar with background spices finishing the draw. Lingering post draw cedar joins directly after. Leather begins to accent the end of the draw, and then moves into the post draw as well. The cedar is also present on the retrohale, but with more complexity. As the cigar settles in, mild sweetness joins at the end of the retrohale and draw. That sweetness continues to evolve becoming more caramel like and joining the middle of the profile along with the cedar Light earthiness joins the end of the draw some time later, with a short finish. As the cigar progresses that earthy component settles onto the palate on the post draw.

First Third

The first third is medium body and strength. Flavors of upfront wood bitterness, cedar, sweet mixed nuts and sour citrus rind. Retrohaling gives a stone fruit cherry and it’s also where spice shows up in the form of dry red pepper spice. The finish is rather earthy and dry with tongue sticking tannins.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the minerality and dry earth are even in the background as the toasted oak and mustiness are even up front. At a half inch in, some char replaces the toasted note on the oak. The dry earthiness also picks up a bit as the mineral note is quite faint. The retrohale is musty oak and dry earth. As the third comes to a close, the dry earth has a slight lead over the charred and musty oak. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Second Third

Sweet cedar carries the retrohale into the second third. Cedar is still present on the middle of the profile. As the cigar starts to settle, leather takes up the middle of the profile and the end of the draw. Post draw earthiness becomes loamy and takes on a slight char by the halfway point.

Second Third

The second third reveals a flavor combination in which the drying and wood bitterness effects are more prevalent than the first third. The other notes are still there but it is heavily shadowed by the dryness and wood bitterness. Strength and body remains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the charred and musty oak are even with the dry earth. At three quarters of an inch in, the charred and musty oak is just ahead of the dry earth. The retrohale has the musty oak and dry earth even. At an inch and a quarter, the char increases a bit. As the cigar comes to a close, it warms up a bit which brings a slight vegetal note to the profile. The strength in this third remained at slightly above medium.

Final Third

Cocoa and cedar make up the retrohale going into the last third. Cedar and earth combine for the post draw finish. As the last third settles, sweet spices and cedar combine in the retrohale. The cocoa note fades completely by the halfway point.

Final Third

The final third takes a turn for the worse. Not only is my palate caked with dryness and wood bitterness, there are also hints of metallic notes. These notes overwhelmingly shadow the soft flavors that I enjoy quite a bit. Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy throughout, but never needed any attention. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Burn

Burn was relatively flawless throughout the smoking experience. Ash held on well in 1 inch increments.

Burn

Perfect burn performance. Even burn, solid ashes, cool burning temperature and good smoke production.

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The cigar began with wood, mustiness and a mineral note. The wood later became defined as oak and gained a toasted note. Some dry earth joined as the first third came to a close. The second third saw some char replace the toasted note and the minerality dropped out. The final third was charred and musty wood with the dry earth and a vegetal note joined in as the cigar wrapped up. Construction was very good and needed no attention while the strength was slightly above medium most of the way. The Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown No. 60 had a nice start with some complexity and then the second third saw a bit of a drop as some flavors left the profile. This was my first time smoking anything from this line and it was a nice experience. Not something I’ll go to frequently, but when the opportunity arises, I wouldn’t shy away from smoking it again.

Draw

The draw was perfect, right in the ideal zone of resistance.

Overall

The Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown No. 60 had some pleasant flavor components of cedar, sweetness, leather, earth, caramel, cocoa and spices. The balance was relatively good throughout the experience, however the overall profile didn’t grab me at any point with its complexity. Construction was flawless on both the draw and the burn. The smoking time was unusually quick on this one, clocking in at 1 hour and 29 minutes.

Draw

The draw was also perfect, giving the ideal air flow.

Overall

It’s a shame how just a couple flavors can dramatically alter the overall experience of the cigar. The wood bitterness and dryness was invasive and basically ruined the cigar profile. Too bad because I enjoyed the other flavors (cedar, sweet mixed nuts, cherries, sour citrus rind). I’ll return to the Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown No. 60 after a few more months in the hopes of this not happening again. In the meantime, these go into the depth of the humidor.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.85

Cost/Point

$1.24

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.26

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.26

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown No. 60