Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Micallef Red Robusto is light brown with darker marbling and a network of lightly raised veins. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. The band is red and gold and carries the company name and logo. The aroma from the wrapper is lightly damp wood and earth while the foot brings cedar, bread and light earth. The pre-light draw brings cedar and a very light floral note along with a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The Micallef Red Robusto is an average looking cigar. The wrapper has a nice Colorado coloring, and it has this antique furniture wood coloring. Medium sized veins throughout with some oils present. Smooth in texture. Firm cigar. Rich aromas of wood, leather, earth, spices and tobacco present on the wrapper and foot.
John: The Micallef Red Robusto came in cellophane and has a UPC sticker with the cigar information and an integrated tear space so it remained intact when opened. I weighed the cigar at 13.8 grams and measured the humidity to 60.7% with the HumidiMeter Pro. Aromas from the wrapper included sweet tobacco and wood. Out of the foot, I could detect syrupy sweet raisin and tobacco.

Micallef Red Robusto

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted oak and bold black pepper along with some light earth. At a half inch in, a light cracker breadiness joins the profile. The retrohale is toasted oak, cracker breadiness and a mid-level black pepper zinginess. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak is a bit ahead of the black pepper, with earth and cracker breadiness in the back half of the profile. The strength was right at medium.
Seth: The first third begins with a nice flavor profile of cocoa, coffee, earth and tobacco. There are some seasoned wood notes on the finish, and savory spices as well. Balanced cigar. Long finish. Medium in strength and body.
John: The first third opens with wood, tobacco and mild spices. There is some delayed mustiness through the finish. On the retrohale, I’m picking up on medium to medium-plus spices, as some medium strength pepper joins the post draw. As the cigar continues, bread moves into the front of the retrohale. Roughly twenty minutes in, the spices have receded to medium-minus strength and are balanced by tobacco sweetness. Soon after, chocolate is detectable on the retrohale.

Micallef Red Robusto

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the black pepper mellows a bit. At a quarter inch in, the earth increases and becomes even with the black pepper. The retrohale is now toasted oak, earth, black pepper and light cracker breadiness. At an inch in, the cracker breadiness becomes very light. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak is a bit ahead of the earth and black pepper, with faint cracker breadiness in the background. The strength remained at medium.
Seth: The second third is in line with the first. The cocoa notes are not as present, but the coffee qualities are stronger. Dry earth, seasoned wood, tobacco and savory spices on the finish. Some black and white pepper. Again, medium in strength and body.
John: Creamy, light-plus strength spices greet me in the second third with wood and tobacco to follow and spices and wood combining through the post draw. On the retrohale, bread mixes in with wood to define the center of the profile. Moving towards the halfway mark, sweet wood leads off with mild wood to finish. Through the bottom half, restrained spices also join the finish.

Micallef Red Robusto

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the earth is now even with the toasted oak up front. At a quarter inch in, the black pepper is now just behind the middle of the profile. The retrohale is now toasted oak and earth with mild black pepper. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted oak and earth are even up front, with the black pepper just behind the middle of the profile and light cracker breadiness in the background. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third shows a return of balance and complexities from the first third. Cocoa, coffee, seasoned wood, earth, tobacco and spices. Still medium in strength and body, but a nice finish to the cigar. Long finish that remains on the palate.
John: Creamy wood takes the cigar into the final third. As the cigar settles in here, mild spices return to the center of the profile, and linger into the finish. Some delayed earth is present on the post draw. That profile remains consistent for the remainder of the review.

Micallef Red Robusto

Burn

Aaron: The burn was a bit wavy at times, but never needed any attention. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.
Seth: Beautiful burn from start to finish.
John: Some waviness was present in the first third, which continues in the second third. The burn was relatively straight in the last third.

Micallef Red Robusto

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: There is a beautiful draw present throughout.
John: The draw was at most one notch towards the open spectrum, which puts it in the ideal range between open and resistant for an amazing draw.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted oak and bold black pepper along with some light earth. Some light cracker breadiness joined in a bit later. The second third saw the earth increase to become even with the black pepper. The final third saw the earth become even with the toasted oak up front. The Micallef Red Robusto had an average flavor profile throughout, focused around toasted oak, earth and black pepper. The cracker breadiness was unique, but didn’t do anything to elevate the profile. This cigar was on par with the Black and the Blue offerings, but I just see it as an average experience with an attractive price point. Not a cigar I’d see myself returning to.
Seth: I enjoyed the Micallef Red Robusto. Best Micallef I have smoked to date. The price is great as well! The flavors were solid from beginning to end, and I loved how the final third showed a return of the enjoyable qualities present in the first. With beautiful construction as well, this is a cigar that everyone should try a handful of times. It’s nice to smoke a Habano Mexican wrapper from time to time as well.
John: The Micallef Red Robusto was a pleasant review, and I found the most complexity and engagement was through the first third. The second third was almost there, but fell just shy with balance and flavor combinations. Both the burn and draw were excellent. I think this is something I could see myself smoking again, the price point is certainly attractive given that it’s less than half the price of new cigars on the market in 2024. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 58 minutes.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.65

Cost/Point

$1.24

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.20

Cost/Point

$1.13

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.15

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Micallef Red Robusto