Robusto Cigars

Well well well...

A little something different perhaps? All this talk about rum had me itching for a good cigar, and so today I decided to treat myself! Cigar Aficionado Magazine ( http://www.cigaraficionado.com/ ) has ratings every month on cigars, new and old. When I popped by my local tobacconist (a lie - it was http://www.citycigarcompany.com/ on 4th ave) I mentioned that it was a trying day, and I deserved a little something special.

(City Cigars)

     So now I do something I've never done before, and write a little blog about the brilliant Romeo & Julieta "Wide Churchill" I smoked on the drive home. First let me say that Kevin, and all of the service staff at City Cigars, was more then helpful... from the tips he gave me on lighting a cigar with a small lighter as opposed to the torch I usually use, to offering to take a look at my small humidor next time I'm in the area. A true font of information, and a gentlemen! So, Kevin took it to heart when I said I needed a little treat on my rough day.

     "Well" says Kevin, "I've got just the ticket for you! A new gem from Romeo & Julieta that scored 93 points in the latest Cigar Aficionado."

     I'm not usually a sucker for points, but I am a sucker for passion. Kevin was damned passionate about this cigar & so I was easily sold. I took the cigar, and the magazine (which I never pass up an issue of, and have collected for years) and walked down the street to the local STARB***s for an Americano. The rest of my afternoon was a blissful drive in the afternoon Fall light with a great cigar & a decent cup of coffee. The "Blue Rodeo" cd was a heck of a good fit as the three of us (Cigar, Man, Coffee) made our way down the Barnet Highway on our way home.

Romeo & Julieta "Wide Churchill", Cuba

$28 CAD **Very Good Value**

• Burn:     the burn started incredibly even, with beautifully rich smoke, a clean draw, and rich flavors right from the start
• Aroma:   fully intense aromas of leather, extra dark chocolate (85%) & even a hint of musk (although I was wearing cologne)
• Flavor:   fully intense flavors with no bitterness! Still the leather, and dark chocolate in layers, but also Brazil nut (seriously - I'm a chef & I swear I tasted Brazil nuts) and a rich undertone of dark espresso
• PAIRS WITH:    here is what can make the cigar a marvel, or just a really lovely experience: I smoked this whilst drinking an Americano. Big mistake. This Robusto has layer upon layer of rich and developed flavors; it needs something it's equal to match it. My advice? This could easily be my mid-morning cigar (when I'm in Cuba) with a real espresso & a minimum 10-year old rum... think Cruzan, Santiago, even the reserve Diplomatico would suffice - but it needs a rich and complex rum. Don't spend almost $30 on a cigar, then spend $2 (per ounce) for your rum. Treat yourself! Buy a $50 bottle (minimum) and only open it on special occasions.

     This cigar was fantastic, and well worth the money. My only issue was half-way down, the damned thing started to burn un-evenly, and by the last 1/4 it was basically unsmokable. Pity- I would have smoked it down to the ring. This cigar, by-the-way, would be a brilliant match with many a single-malt Scotch (but beware - the peatiness may overwhelm the palate) and especially the finer Irish Whiskeys, where the sweetness will play off the Robusto flavors.

     So ends my first cigar review, and hopefully not the last!

CIN CIN!!   SLAINTE!!