Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Micallef Black Robusto is between medium and dark brown with some darker marbling. There are some light veins present, the seams are smooth and the caps very well applied. The band is black and gold with the company name on front and the location of origin on the sides. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of oak, dark earth, stewed fruit, smokiness and anise. The foot brings cedar, stewed fruit and light anise. The pre-light draw consists of cedar and smokiness.
Seth: An affordable cigar, especially in 2023, the Micallef Black Robusto has an affordable appearance as well. Not overly impressive. The band doesn’t really pop, and blends in with the wrapper. Maduro in coloring, the wrapper has a leathery texture with small veins throughout. Aromas of minerals, spices, earth and wood. Bits of cocoa as well.
John: The Micallef Black Robusto comes in cellophane and has a UPC sticker with an integrated tear space to remain intact when opened. There is a single primary band with a gold on black color scheme. I weighed the cigar at 16.1 grams and the humidity as measured by the HumidiMeter Pro was 64.6%. Aromas off the wrapper included sweet tobacco, a mesquite smokiness, approaching a fire cured tobacco aroma. Sweet tobacco, wood and hay were present from the foot.
Jiunn: The Micallef Black Robusto has a Colorado wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and head is well wrapped and capped. Aromas from the wrapper give pungent barnyard and black pepper spice. Aromas from the foot tells the same but with increased intensity. Cold draw reveals black pepper spice, barnyard and cedar.

Team Cigar Review: Micallef Black Robusto

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted cedar, vibrant cinnamon forward baking spice and earth. At a quarter inch in, some creaminess joins the profile. At three quarters of an inch in, the baking spice is no longer cinnamon forward. The retrohale is toasted cedar, earth and zingy baking spice. At an inch in, the earth is now even with the toasted cedar up front. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with the baking spice right behind and some light creaminess in the background. The strength was medium-full.
Seth: The cigar begins with some leather, cocoa and earth qualities. Bits of minerals and wood as well. Medium in strength and body.
John: Creamy earth and tobacco team up to start the first third. Creamy baking spices come into the retrohale at medium-full strength. The post draw is defined by lingering medium-full spices, wood and sweetness combination. Mild leather is lingering into the post draw as it continues. Some earth finishes the draw by the halfway point. Chocolate and mild chalkiness move into the center of the profile in the bottom half.
Jiunn: The first third starts off with a blast of black pepper spice. Following the powerhouse spice is dry cocoa, dry dirt earth, citrus and barnyard. Retrohaling deepens the pepper spice but also shows a bit more cocoa. The finish tapers off the spice, but is more geared towards toasted nuts and dry dirt earth. Strength is medium-full and body is medium.

Team Cigar Review: Micallef Black Robusto

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the baking spice transitions to black pepper and a light cocoa powder becomes present. At a third of an inch in, the pepper mellows a bit as the cocoa powder increases a bit. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth and light cocoa powder. At an inch in, the creaminess departs. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front with the black pepper and cocoa powder even a fair amount behind. The strength dropped to slightly above medium.
Seth: The second third is fairly in line with the first. Mineral, earth and wood notes. Some leather and cocoa qualities present as well. Still medium in strength and body.
John: Creamy earth and wood leads off the second third as mild chalkiness, leather and wood group up into the post draw. Sweet tobacco and mild chocolate are present on the finish as it continues. The earth on the post draw moves up to medium-full strength in the bottom half.
Jiunn: The second third’s pepper intensity slows down, allowing for cocoa, citrus and dry earth to take more of a center stage. For me, the primary aspect lacking is sweetness. Strength and body is still medium-full and medium, respectively.

Team Cigar Review: Micallef Black Robusto

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the cocoa powder becomes very light. At a third of an inch in, the cigar warms up a bit and the toast level increases. The retrohale is now just toasted cedar and earth. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with black pepper in the middle and light cocoa powder in the background. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third delivers this mineral, damp wood and earth flavor profile. Not pleasant. Too many mineral qualities and the earth is more dirty. Medium in strength and body.
John: Creamy, sweet tobacco starts the last third followed by medium strength spices, earth and wood through the finish. I’m getting earth on the post draw which rapidly moves up to medium-full strength progressing to the halfway point. Some toastiness underlies the flavor through the halfway point and in the bottom half.
Jiunn: The final third shows no changes from the second third. Still less black pepper and cocoa, citrus and dry earth oriented. Strength and body finishes the same medium-full and medium, respectively.

Team Cigar Review: Micallef Black Robusto

Burn

Aaron: The burn was straight throughout and the ash held on in inch and three quarter increments.
Seth: Nice burn throughout.
John: The burn was quite straight through the entire review and required no intervention at any point.
Jiunn: Burn performance was perfect. Even burn, ample smoke production, tight ashes and cool burning temperature.

Team Cigar Review: Micallef Black Robusto

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Nice draw.
John: The draw was somewhat into the resistant spectrum roughly 2-1/2 to 3 notches.
Jiunn: Draw performance was on point, providing the ideal balance between air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted cedar, vibrant cinnamon forward baking spice and earth. Some creaminess joined in fairly quickly. The second third saw the baking spice transition to black pepper and a light cocoa powder joined in. The creaminess also departed. The final third saw the cocoa powder become very light. Construction was absolutely perfect. The Micallef Black Robusto had a nice start with a dynamic flavor profile. Things mellowed in the second third and dropped a level and maintained that profile the rest of the way. This is an interesting offering from the brand at a lower price point. While I found the cigar OK, it’s not something I’d see myself returning to all that often, but I’m interested in trying the Toro vitola.
Seth: I thought the Micallef Black Robusto was a little too budget friendly of a cigar for me. Not enough complexity and flavors throughout. It got to be boring, and in the end unpleasant. I have not smoked a lot of the Micallef offerings, so having this be an early experience with the brand is not a positive one for me. There are so many blends on the market with Mexican wrappers and Nicaraguan fillers that if you are going to release one, it really needs to pop. If you can do it for under $10.00, more power to you, but the Micallef Black did not. If they could have released a superior blend for a high price, they should have done that.
John: I found the first third for the Micallef Black Robusto to be engaging, complex and interesting. As the cigar progressed into the second third, the flavors didn’t harmonize in an engaging way for me, and it continued that way for the remainder of the review. The burn was perfect, while the draw was somewhat into the resistant spectrum. There’s no question the price point on the Micallef Black Robusto is extremely attractive, especially in the current priced market. With that said, as a Mexican San Andres offering it’s average and there are other Micallef cigars I would reach for before this. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 57 minutes.
Jiunn: For me, this Micallef Black Robusto was a case of a strong cigar with pepper kick. Nothing inherently wrong with this if there was a good amount of complexities to back it up. What the cigar lacked was sweetness. The overt pepper and earthiness without sweetness made for a lackluster experience. However, the price point is very attractive for people to at least try a couple without going deep into the pocket.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.15

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.25

Cost/Point

$1.33

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.80

Cost/Point

$1.21

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.22

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Micallef Black Robusto