Pre-light Experience

A nice Colorado red colored wrapper with some marbling. The seams are nearly invisible due to the color pattern and there are three very well applied caps. The band is primarily black with silver lettering and yellow accents. The aroma from the wrapper is barnyard while the foot gives a mix of leather and slightly sweet hay. The pre-light draw interestingly gives me a red pepper note on my tongue and then hay on the exhale.

Pre-light Experience

The Nestor Miranda Collection Corojo Robusto has a semi-oily Colorado Maduro shade wrapper. Veins are roughly pressed and seams tight but visible. The cigar is packed full of tobacco with minimal give. The head is wrapped with a thick, triple cap. Nosing the wrapper gives red pepper, cedar and floral notes. Nosing the foot gives bread, dry nuts and white pepper. Cold draw tells cardboard and subtle white pepper.

First Third

Initial draws bring a full mix of black pepper and spicy cedar. At a quarter inch in, the black pepper mellows a bit and the spiciness leaves the cedar. The retrohale is a full cedar with a slight spice to it. At three quarters of an inch, the pepper mellows even more and the cedar is up front with a little bit of cream that has just joined in. As the third comes to a close, the pepper is almost completely gone and the cedar has transitioned more to oak while a bit of cream is still in the profile. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first note that greatly captures my attention is creamy bread in spades. This dominant note is nicely surrounded by dry earth minerality, baking spices, oak, subtle black pepper and cardboard. Through retrohaling, fierce black pepper, elevated creamy bread and stale dried nuts. The finish is medium in length, with notes of slightly harsh black pepper on the rear palate and dry oak. In terms of body and strength, medium.

Second Third

As this third begins, it is primarily a slightly creamy oak. The retrohale still carries a slightly spicy cedar. At a quarter inch in, the cream goes away, leaving just the oak. The retrohale is also just oak now. At an inch in, the oak is now slightly drying on my palate. As the third comes to a close, the oak is still slightly drying and some bitterness joins in as well. The strength in this third is slightly above medium.

Second Third

The second third becomes wood (oak) and spice (black pepper) centric The remaining flavors of creamy bread, dry earth minerality, baking spice and cardboard are still present. The retrohale remains unchanged, still providing fierce black pepper, creamy bread and stale dry nuts. The finish still medium in length, no longer has the black pepper on the rear palate, but instead is slightly harsh dry oak and cardboard focused. Body and strength remains unchanged at the medium mark.

Final Third

As this third begins, the dry oak and slight bitterness continue. At a quarter inch in, the bitterness is really now only present on the finish while the oak becomes a little less drying. At three quarters of an inch in, the slight bitter finish turns into some mintiness. The retrohale at this point is a nice full oak. As the cigar comes to a close, the full oak in the mouth and retrohale continues with a slight mintiness on the finish. The strength in this third was medium-full.

Final Third

The last third loses complexities, mainly giving dry earth minerality and creamed (slightly) harsh oak. Through the retrohale, creamy bread is lost, now providing just fierce black pepper and stale dried nuts. The finish remains unchanged from the second third, still providing slightly harsh dry oak and cardboard. Strength increases to somewhere in between medium and medium-full, while body remains at the medium point.

Burn

The burn was perfect through the entire cigar as it was razor sharp. Ashes held on in one inch increments.

Burn

Burn performance was great. Total smoking time clocked in at an amazing 1 hour and 40 minutes for this (short) robusto. Burn line was razor sharp the entire time. Ashes were slightly flowery and held on tight averaging 1.5 inch increments.

Draw

The draw was perfect with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar started out with some intense pepper and cedar but eventually settled into a primarily oak profile. It became drying at times which wasn’t ideal. Strength level was always slightly above medium for me, so most smokers should find it within their profile. This is an OK addition to the Collection, but I’m not sure how often I would see myself going back to this blend.

Draw

The draw was ever so slightly snug for my liking. No big issue as the focus was almost never on the draw.

Overall

I overall enjoyed the corojo version of the Nestor Miranda Collection. It’s been a little while since I tasted such full flavors of creamy bread (personal favorite note of mine). This note being surrounded by decent spice and earthiness made for a good, laid back smoking experience.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.33

Cost/Point

$1.18

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.67

Cost/Point

$1.12

Scoring System