Boutique Wednesday Cigar Review: Cigar.com Cuban Label
Size: 5×50, Robusto
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra (Cuban Hybrid)
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Price: Box of 20, $45.95
Grade: 8.5
We have reviewed quite a few of the Cigar.com House Blends here at Toasted Foot and all of them have been good smokes with scores consistently in the mid to high 8’s. I was excited about firing up the Cuban blend as it is Cigar.com’s best selling smoke with a medium to full bodied description in the profile.
Cigar.com offers a bit of helpful information:
For this blend we use a high quality Dominican filler and binder. However, the Cuban Label gets most of its character from the special Cuban/ Sumatra hybrid seed sun grown in Ecuador. With the perfect blend at hand, we depend on the expert cigar makers and rollers at the Tabadom factory to put the finishing touches on the Cuban Label.
So, let’s toast the foot and see how it scores.
Pre-light, 1.5:
This is not a great looking Robusto at all. The wrapper has prominent veins and a very sloppy cap. The cigar is very light and spongy in spots, especially toward the foot. The band on the Cigar.com Cuban is very simple and follows the trend of the other blends. The pre-light aroma is sweet, almost like a graham cracker, with barnyard at the foot. The cold draw produces notes of clean tobacco and spice with a peat flavored finish.
Burn, 1.6:
The cap cut clean on this smoke but the filler did spill out of this sandwich smoke. The draw is loose and the ash does not hold well, but this is not surprising considering the construction of the smoke. There were no re-lights or touch ups required and the smoke produced tons of smoke at a good temperature.
Flavor, 2.7:
The first puff produced earthy notes of tobacco with notes of pepper, leather, and a hint of sweetness. The first third continued with pepper and earthy tobacco, almost damp at times, and with a surprisingly clean finish. The second third of the Robusto had notes of sweetness on the inhale but it disappears on the exhale as the finish is dry. The last third continues the above flavor profile of earthy tobacco, pepper, and some sweetness here and there. Not exactly the most complex smoke but consistent and tasty.
Overall, 2.7:
This is an easy smoke to enjoy; I don’t know if this was my favorite of the cigar.com smokes, but it was good. At $2.50 a stick, it is a deal in my opinion and the driving factor on this is the flavor profile. The notes are consistent and pleasing to the palate. If you get a chance, order a sample of these smokes and see for yourself.
(Total: 8.5)
There are 22 Comments to "Boutique Wednesday Cigar Review: Cigar.com Cuban Label"
I can imagine that prominent veins would affect the burn but, really, there must be LOTS of leaves w/veins… what else would the ‘gar makers do with ‘em?
“Cuban Label” seems a bit misleading… or at least an ATTEMPT at being misleading.
Thanks for the review!
I agree the Cuban Label is misleading, especially since it wasn’t as good as some of their other smokes, even though they list it as their best seller. Regarding veins, I’m not sure what the options are, I just know sometimes I get a cigar that is nearly plugged from a cluster of stalks…
[...] Cigar.com Cuban Label – toastedfoot.com [...]
I’ve always tended to stay away from a cigar that tries to use others marketing to sell it’s products… Cojiba, and Cuban Label are two of those.
Curious to know what you mean by “others marketing”
A lot of occasional smokers arn’t as educated as the average board member here. They see the name Cuban, see the square dots, see something that looks like a cohiba, or other well know cigar, and they don’t know the difference. My friends and I actually printed up some bands that said “Monticrystal” in dark green with “hencho en habanero” (and we used orange and large round dots on a “Cobiba” band too), then took them to a local cigar shop. Most of the people that came in asked where I’de got the cuban cigar, and when I gave them one they were ecstatic.
Maybe I’m being cynical, but putting out an inferior product, while using similar labeling, and branding to an iconic product doesn’t work for me.
Totally agree Greg, especially messing with the Cohiba. What do you think about Siglo? Have you seen their logo, fits into the same category in my opinion.
The big gorillas in the industry are trying all sorts of things to sell… I’m a boutique guy… Always have been. I think it’s better for the retailer, and most of the time better service from the manufacturer. Sure there are issues with supply sometime, but you don’t’ have to take, as a retailer, 20 boxes of crap before you get one box of something that really sells. And there’s a unique factor. How cool is it to be asked what your smoking because no one’s ever seen it in a standard big box store (read: altadis and general store), or in a catalog.
If your cigar can’t stand on it’s own, then don’t try to use someone elses success.
And I think the Siglo is simply another attempt at cross marketing. Pretty soon we’ll see Bolivars with coffee flavoring being made by Drew (nothing at all against Drew Estates), for Altadis.
Great insights Greg; another thing I find interesting is companies bringing in other blenders and touting their blender over their company, ie Don Pepin working for absolutely everyone. I love DPG cigars, but he is being so overused that companies seem to think if they can just get him associated w/ their line they’ll soar into popularity, which for the most part is true; now whether the quality is there, who knows…
I don’t mind natural progression… J. Fuego breaking free from RP… But I agree with you on the DP stuff. Not that the Don doesn’t blend a great cigar, but he’s whoring himself out… Eventually all of the blends will start to cross, and everything will start to taste the same.
Thanks for review. Don’t think this is something I’d look for, but something I’d try if someone gave me one.
Greg and Toasted, you guys raise some great points.
I know guys that will swear by Pepin sticks as their favorite, but there are many, many to choose from in my opinion.
Thanks for the review, and the discussion.
Me personally, I am more apt to try a cigar w/ DPG on the label than I am something he’s blended for someone else, though I did recently pick up the Benchmade that he worked on for Ashton. I just have this sneaking suspicion that if DPG doesn’t slow down, he’s gonna become talked about like Rocky Patel is talked about, to much stuff, all tasting the same, with dipping quality.
Yup. Does anyone really think that there’s still 93 and 94 “vintage” tobacco out there when there’s 2 million cigars rolled per month at the rocky factory? *cough cough* general factory *cough cough* shavings go into swishers *cough cough*
That’s why I’m a boutique guy… Take Bahia for example… his vintages, when they’re out, are limited in production, and when they’re gone, they’re gone… none of this blend changing to get it close…
Here’s some great boutiques in addition to the wonderful stuff that’s already up here.
Bahia: Gold, and Gold white. GREAT sticks. His new bundles are a $5-7 stick depending on taxes, and here locally are flying off the shelves. And I’ve heard rumor that he’s completing more blends.
Garo Habano: a wide range of cigars. Not many people have heard of him, but he’s been around for over 15 years. Prices from 7-14 retail. He was manufacturing as a hobby untill recently (also a chiropractor), but he’s put his practice on hold, and is now a full time cigar man.
Avalon cigars: Out of mississippi. I have a wide palet, and they fit every peak and valley of it. Their white is, personally, the perfect morning, or “white wine” type of after dinner cigar. Their torque, and hell hound rock!
What would it take to get toasted to review these?
Hey: More insights here in the COMMENTS than in the main post!
Great post Greg; I’ll send some emails to these companies about review samples – I haven’t seen any of these in my B&M. I have heard lots of folks say that they’ve noticed a big difference in the Vintage line as the years have passed; I haven’t had any recently and the ones I have in my humi are a couple years old. Some boutique blends we’ve really enjoyed are Berger & Argenti, Jose Carlos, Cigar.com, Marco V, and 5 Vegas (if they fit into that category)…
I like Michaela’s stuff. Had some out in NOLA this last year. 5 Vega, and Jose Carlo’s stuff rock too.
I don’t know if you’ll get a response from Bahia as I know he was traveling, but if you don’t, then I would be happy to call him for you. I think I still have his cell number somewhere.
Thanks for the review. I’ve never tried a Cigar.com smoke. I might give these a try.
Good read. Thanks!
I’ve been wondering about these. I like your review.format.
Just re-read the comments: a great discussion.