Pre-light Experience

The wrapper color is a dull light brown and there are a couple decently sized raised veins present. The seams are slightly raised and easily visible while the head appears to be finished off with a double cap. The band is primarily black along with some red, blue and yellow. The text is in silver and white and denotes the line along with the vitola. The aroma from the wrapper is a distinct hay while the aroma from the foot consists of sawdust. The pre-light draw brings wood and a note that straddles the line between vegetal and floral along with a decent spiciness on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The San Pedro de Macorís Ecuador Robusto is a lovely Connecticut and is well constructed. It is firm throughout and shows few veins that are small in size. The cap is applied nicely and the wrapper is silky in texture. It has a golden hay coloring and it is giving off an aroma of hay and honey on the wrapper with the aroma at the foot showing qualities of cedar, cream, spices, honey and hay.

Pre-light Experience

The San Pedro de Macorís Ecuador Robusto has a multi-colored band, with red, blue and yellow highlights with silver lettering on a black background. The cigar wrapper is a Connecticut Shade light tan, with firmly pressed veins. The aroma on the cigar is light hay, and woody notes, with a slight sweetness in the foot.

First Third

The cigar begins with wood and that same floral/vegetal note I was getting from the pre-light draw. There is also a bit of baking spice in the background and on the finish. At a half inch in, that floral/vegetal note becomes very faint as the wood is up front with the baking spice still in the background. At an inch in a mild creaminess has joined the profile. The retrohale is baking spice forward with the wood a supporting note. As the third comes to a close, the cream has increased to become even with the wood. The strength in this third was at mild-medium.

First Third

The first third begins by showing some lemon peel qualities and it is paired with some cedar and sweet spice notes. There are some cinnamon qualities present and with that is this gingerbread cookie quality. First third is medium in all categories and very enjoyable.

First Third

The initial flavors in the first third are cocoa, with a delayed dry cedar on the post draw. As the first third settles in, there is a mild sweetness accenting the cocoa. I can’t get over how clean the finish is on each draw. Mild white pepper joins the profile about halfway into the first third.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the wood gains a slight bitterness as the cream remains right with it and the baking spice is faint in the background. At a half inch in, the wood has a slight bite while the cream remains even with it. The retrohale has lost most of the baking spice and is a creamy wood note. At an inch and a quarter, the bite from the wood is replaced by a toast note while the cream still remains paired up evenly. As the third comes to a close, the cream drops out and the bitterness replaces the toast to go along with the wood. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly below medium.

Second Third

When I get into the second third of the cigar, I find the flavor profile to be similar to that of the first third. It has that gingerbread and lemon peel flavor profile, and with that is the sweet spice and hay. Like before, the body, strength and flavor notes are around a solid medium.

Second Third

The sweetness intensifies in the middle third. There is mild hay coming in once the middle third has settled in. At the middle of the cigar, some grassiness is present, and it has a medium lingering finish at light plus strength.

Final Third

As the final third begins, some cream joins back in to ease up some of the bitterness of the wood. At a half inch in, the cream has increased to take the lead over the slightly bitter wood. The retrohale carries a slightly fuller version of the same profile. At three quarters of an inch, the cigar begins to heat up which returns the toast note to go along with some bitterness while the cream is at an even level. As the cigar comes to a close, the toasted wood is up front on the draw with a long creamy finish. The strength in this third remained at slightly below medium.

Final Third

The final third is very similar to that of the first and second and it is showing that gingerbread, lemon peel, hay and cedar flavor profile. There are some herbal spice qualities present as well and like before, it is a solid medium body, flavor and strength cigar.

Final Third

The hay and grassy flavors begin to dominate the profile as the final third starts out. As the final third settles in, the profile is classic Connecticut Shade flavors of hay and grass for the remainder of the experience.

Burn

The burn line was straight through the first half of the cigar and then became slightly wavy the rest of the way. The ash held on in near one inch increments.

Burn

The burn line from start to finish is very good. It has an even burn line and is producing a nice dark charcoal colored ash.

Burn

The San Pedro de Macorís Ecuador has a razor straight burn for the first and second third, with minor waviness in the final third. Ash holds on in 1-1/4 inch increments.

Draw

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

Overall

The profile consisted of wood, cream and some baking spice to start and then the baking spice dropped out after the first third. Construction was very good and strength never got above slightly below medium. This is a fairly good Ecuadorian Connecticut and the price point makes it even more attractive. This would be a great pairing with coffee in the morning and I could see Connecticut smokers really enjoying this. This is another nice cigar for Royal Agio and has me looking forward to the Brazilian version of this line.

Draw

The draw is smooth and easy throughout. It has a nice resistance level to it, and helps in concentrating the smoke to enhance the flavors. It smokes cool from start to finish and it is a well constructed cigar.

Overall

The San Pedro de Macorís Ecuador Robusto is really an enjoyable Connecticut and one of my favorite new Ecuadorian Connecticut offerings. It has a nice flavor profile that is fairly complex and while it is not showing a lot of transitioning from start to finish, it does have some depth to it. The gingerbread and lemon peel flavors paired well together and made for a nice combination. It is an advanced Connecticut in the sense of the flavor and body it possesses but also because of the flavors delivered. This is a cigar that a novice and more seasoned smoker could enjoy.

Draw

The draw here is perfect, with just the right amount of resistance.

Overall

The San Pedro de Macorís Ecuador Robusto provides an enjoyable and more classical take on a Connecticut Shade profile. The hay and grass that is so often associated with the Connecticut Shade profile is absent until the last third.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$0.82

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.92

Cost/Point

$0.80

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$0.81

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: San Pedro de Macorís Ecuador Robusto