Aaron Loomis

 John McTavish

Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The rectangle pressed MBombay Gaaja Natural Robusto has a wrapper that is medium tan with a hint of green and a network of lightly raised veins. The seams are smooth and the head is well finished. The band is sandy gold, red, dark blue and light blue and has the brand and line names on the sides. The aroma from the wrapper is creamy cedar while the foot brings a mix of cedar and cereal. The pre-light draw brings a mellow mix of cedar and cereal.
John: The MBombay Gaaja Natural Robusto does not come in cellophane and has no UPC sticker. It features a single primary band, and for artisanal complication, the cigar has a firm box-pressed shape. I weighed the cigar at 13.9 grams and measured the humidity at 55.8% with the Cigar Medics Humidimeter Pro. Aromas from the wrapper included mild, sweet hay with faint sandalwood underneath. From the foot, I was able to pick out faint cedar. Overall, the aromas were extremely faint.

MBombay Gaaja Natural Robusto

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with lightly toasted cedar and earth. At a quarter inch in, some cereal and black pepper join the profile. At a half inch in, the fullness of the whole profile increases a bit. The retrohale is toasted cedar, gritty earth and some black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper picks up a bit. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with black pepper a bit further behind and some cereal in the background. The strength was right at medium.
John: The first third opens with sweet tobacco, nuts and wood combining with background spices on the finish. On the retrohale, the profile is quite balanced, showing creamy, spicy wood. The wood begins to intensify on the post draw, lingering on the palate between puffs. Medium-minus strength chocolate breaks into the retrohale as the first third settles in. As it continues, the post draw wood is offset by sweet tobacco, while dryness also joins in through the bottom half.

MBombay Gaaja Natural Robusto

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the black pepper mellows a bit. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth and mild black pepper. At three quarters of an inch in, the cereal note increases a bit and the black pepper is now pretty mellow. At an inch in, a light creaminess joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with black pepper, cereal and creaminess in the back half of the profile. The strength has mellowed to slightly below medium.
John: Creamy chocolate combines with nuts and wood to open the second third. Mild tannins and dryness join the wood on the post draw as this third settles in. Mild spices join the finish as the cigar progresses toward the halfway point.

MBombay Gaaja Natural Robusto

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the earth mellows a bit. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth and some creaminess. At three quarters of an inch in, the black pepper increases a bit. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar is up front, with the earth a fair bit behind, black pepper in the middle of the profile and some cereal and creaminess in the back half. The strength bumped back up to medium.
John: The final third begins with creamy spices over a wood core. Delayed spices and mildly dry wood make up the finish. By the halfway point of this third, light-plus strength tannic wood is defining the center of the profile.

MBombay Gaaja Natural Robusto

Burn

Aaron: The burn was straight throughout and the ash held on through each third.
John: The burn was almost completely straight through the first third and continued straight through the second and final thirds.

MBombay Gaaja Natural Robusto

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
John: I measured the draw to 50 inches of water on the Cigar Medics Draw Machine. Subjectively, the draw was at most half a notch toward the resistant spectrum, which puts it in the ideal range.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with lightly toasted cedar and earth. Some cereal and black pepper joined in fairly quickly. The pepper increased a bit later. The second third saw the black pepper mellow through the third, with the cereal increasing a bit. Some creaminess joined in. The final third saw the earth mellow a bit and the black pepper increased back to the middle of the profile. Construction was absolutely perfect. The MBombay Gaaja Natural Robusto had a nice start, with a good combination of flavors. It took a step back as some of the supporting notes mellowed and remained at that level the rest of the way. Overall, the cigar had a smooth smoking experience, I just don’t feel it performed at the level that the original release did. I’m on the fence if this is something I’d come back to.
John: The MBombay Gaaja Natural Robusto delivered a well-balanced profile in the first and second thirds, with sweet tobacco, creamy chocolate, nuts and wood all playing well together. The first third was the most dynamic, showing transitions in sweetness, spice and wood intensity. The final third shifted toward a more tannic, dry wood focus, which was less engaging. Excellent construction throughout, with an amazing burn and draw, elevated the overall experience. Overall, a good cigar I’d be happy to smoke again. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 36 minutes.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$2.95

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$2.64

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: MBombay Gaaja Natural Robusto