Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown with a few slightly raised veins present. The seams are smooth, but easily visible due to the vein placements. The head has a double cap that is finished off with a tightly wound pigtail. The band is primarily white with some red and black along with a little gold bordering and artwork. The aroma from the wrapper is creamy leather with a bit of hay while the foot brings some sweet pipe tobacco with a hint of raisin. The pre-light draw is a mix of hay and leather with a very mild spice on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The VegaFina Robusto Extra PigTail Añejado 7 Años has a nice lightly roasted espresso bean brown. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll is even with no soft spots and the pigtail style of head is wrapped well with a thick cap. Aromas from the wrapper give baking spices and minerals. Aromas from the foot tell white pepper and roasted nuts. Cold draw tells hay, cedar and light black pepper.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mix of dark oak along with a mild black pepper. At a quarter inch in, some cream joins in to mix with the oak and pepper. The retrohale brings a creamy oak note. At an inch in, the oak has lost some of it’s darkness as a toast note has paired up with it and the cream while the black pepper is still a mild background note. As the third comes to a close, the darkness from the oak has completely left as the toast/bready note is still paired up with it and the pepper and cream have combined in the background. The retrohale has now morphed into a mixture of oak and black pepper. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

The first third has a good bouquet of flavors. The two main notes I taste are sharper baking spices and minerals. These earthy spices are well rounded out by creamy bread, subtle sweetness and nuts. Retrohaling gives sharper notes of minerals and baking spices. The finish is comprised of bread and underlying baking spices. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the toast/bready oak continues as the cream has faded way back and the pepper has left the profile. The retrohale has also dropped the pepper and is now a slightly creamy oak. At a quarter inch in, the cream picks back up. At a half inch in, a bit of pepper returns to the background with the cream while the toasty oak remains up front. At an inch and a quarter, the pepper drops out again while the cream is very mellow in the background. The oak has lost most of the toast profile as well. At an inch and three quarters, a slight vegetal note joins in along with a bit of black pepper to mix with the oak note that is up front. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Second Third

The second third still has the exact same flavors as the first third but brings them into more focus. Still the same notes of baking spices, minerals, subtly sweet creamy bread and nuts. The finish does lengthen providing the same bread and baking spices. Strength and body remains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the cream pairs up with the oak up front while a slight vegetal note remains in the background. At an inch in, the creamy oak gains a slight char while the vegetal note has gone away. The retrohale carries the slightly charred oak. At an inch and a quarter, the cigar begins to heat up which brings some mintiness to the charred and creamy oak. This is the profile the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third remained at slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last third is mainly the story of spice (baking spices and minerals) with a new note of leather added. The minerals are reminiscent of pencil lead (sounds gross but actually quite tasty). Given the increased notes of spice, the nuttiness and bread takes a slight back seat. Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy through the second half and only needed a slight touch-up at the beginning of the final third. The ash held on in one inch increments.

Burn

Picture perfect burn performance. Razor sharp burn, tight ashes and cool burning temperature sums up the perfection.

Draw

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

Overall

The profile was fairly simple, centered around oak, cream and black pepper with some hints of toast/bread and a vegetal note mixed in. Although a simple profile, the flavors were good. Construction was very good on top of that. While price doesn’t factor into our scores, it’s worth noting that the price point on this cigar is excellent. This is a cigar I could see myself going back to fairly regularly and that isn’t dependent on price as it’s a good experience. I would say that this cigar is a must try just based on price as there are lots of smokers that would find this enjoyable, and if you do, it’s probably worth something going very deep on. This was a nice surprise as the VegaFina line doesn’t get much attention and based on this cigar, at least this line deserves some attention.

Draw

The draw was perfect.

Overall

The VegaFina Robusto Extra PigTail Añejado 7 Años was a surprising pleasure to smoke. I don’t think I’ve ever smoked anything from VegaFina but if it’s any indication of it performing like this one, put me down as a fan, especially at the door buster price of $6 per cigar. The cigar touched on all major factors of a good cigar: spice, sweetness, creaminess and earthiness, all wrapped up in a flawless burn and draw. Don’t sleep on this one.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$0.89

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$0.84

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: VegaFina Robusto Extra PigTail Añejado 7 Años