Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown with some darker marbling. There are a few small veins visible and the seams are nearly invisible. There are three very well applied caps. The band is very classic looking. It is a mix of red, white, pink and gold. Very simple but attractive. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of barnyard, leather and fairly sweet hay. The aroma from the foot is a mild hay. The pre-light draw brings a pretty sweet hay along with a slight spicy tingle to my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The El Artista Pulita 60 Aniversario Robusto has an oily sheen, medium brown Colorado claro wrapper. The cigar feels lumpy with various minor veins protruding. The bunch and roll is firm, with practically no give. The head is finished off with a shallow triple cap. Nosing the wrapper gives wet earth and barnyard. Nosing the foot tells floral perfume, balanced white pepper and dry nuts. Cold draw tells wet cedar, subtle white pepper and dry nuts.

First Third

Initial draws bring a pretty sweet cedar with a peppery finish. After a few draws, the pepper moves forward from the finish and pushes out the sweetness and becomes even with the cedar. The retrohale is also a very peppery cedar. At a half inch in, the pepper settles back down and the cedar is up front. After a few more draws, some cream joins in with the cedar up front while a little pepper is in the background. At an inch in, pepper has completely left the profile leaving the creamy cedar. The retrohale is now just cedar. As the third comes to a close, the cream recedes a bit with the cedar up front. The strength in this third was just below medium.

First Third

Initial inch of the first third is heavily hay and red pepper flake spice driven. The pepper weighs heavy on the tip of the tongue. Further, dry charred oak and dry minerality joins the profile. Past the inch mark, the pepper backs off a bit and dry nuts enter. The retrohale is dominating with black pepper and dry nuts. The finish is medium in length and consists of charred oak and dry minerality. Body is medium and strength somewhere in between medium and medium-full.

Second Third

As this third begins, the profile continues with the cedar up front and some cream in the background. At a half inch in, some mintiness joins in with the cedar and slight cream. After a few draws, the cream really ramps up to become even with the cedar while the mintiness remains. At an inch in, the profile gains a bit of meatiness to go along with the creamy cedar and slight mintiness. The retrohale also carries the meatiness along with some cedar. As the third comes to a close, the smoke is meaty and chewy and carries the creamy cedar with slight mintiness. The strength in this third is right at medium.

Second Third

The second third is driven by hay, charred oak and dry minerality, with a back bone of red pepper flakes. A bright cherry enters in an intermittent fashion within the first half of the second third. The retrohale is the same with strong black pepper and dry nuts. The finish is long and lasting now with the same charred oak and dry minerals. Body stays at the medium mark, and strength moves to a consistent medium-full.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the cedar moves up front with the creaminess in the background. The mintiness has left the profile. At a half inch in, the cream comes back even with the cedar. The retrohale is also an even mix of cedar and cream. At an inch in, the mintiness returns as the cigar begins to heat up. The smoke still has the meaty/chewy make-up of creamy cedar. This is the profile that the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last third becomes more wood and spice focused with charred oak, dry minerals and red pepper flakes. The retrohale maintains its intense black pepper and dry nuts. The finish is still lasting with charred oak, charred bitterness and laced red pepper flakes. Body and strength is unchanged at medium and medium-full, respectively.

Burn

The burn was pretty straight through the first half, then in the second half, half of the wrapper didn’t want to burn and I needed to do two touch-ups. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Burn

Burn performance was very good. Total smoking time clocked in at a great 1 hour and 47 minutes. Burn line was sharp and ashes held on tight, averaging 1 inch self tapped ash marks.

Draw

The draw was perfect through the first two thirds and then tightened up a bit in the final third.

Overall

The cigar had some nice flavors to present and the smoke was very meaty and chewy which was a nice addition. The strength level was right around medium the entire way, so it should be approachable to most smokers. With this cigar being a re-blend of a vintage cigar, I could see some of the similarities that they were able to accomplish. This was pretty enjoyable and is definitely something I would revisit. I think this would be a good cigar to have after a big and heavy meal and would pair well with a brown spirit.

Draw

The draw was subpar due to the shallow cap. Initial cut caused the wrapper to split to the band, which resulted in airflow from the cracked line.

Overall

The Pulita 60 Robusto was an average experience. The cigar seems to be blended on the side of strength with not much complexities of flavors. This coupled by a less than average draw made for a mediocre all around experience.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.53

Cost/Point

$1.87

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.40

Cost/Point

$2.26

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: El Artista Pulita 60 Aniversario Robusto