Cigar Review: CLE Corojo Robusto
CLE Corojo Robusto Cigar Review
Draw: Perfect. Just the right amount of pull.
Pre-light flavor: WOW. Nice malty caramel-like flavor with a hint of cognac, or perhaps, rum?
Toasting & Light: Toasted almost instantly and lit well. First few puffs were mellow, creamy, toasty and earthy (very Honduran.)
Base flavors: Layers of earthiness, cream and a spot of cognac.
Retrohale: Very light and creamy. No trace of pepper.
Aroma: Earthy and semi-sweet.
Burn / Ash Quality: The burn was so-so, but not annoying. The ash was black & grey marbled. Though it held up well until ashed, it was more flaky than rigid for most of way until it tightened up in the last couple of inches; enough to “round” it off against the side of the ashtray.
Balance of flavors: Excellent.
Consistency: Excellent. Even in the last third, when the flavors firmed up to a spicier character, the cigar carried on steadily.
General Observations: This cigar gave off a lot of smoke when puffed. Very creamy- earthy start, and surprisingly mild. Early burn was just a bit off. Though it’s listed as “full-bodied,” I found this cigar more medium, and solidly mild in the first inch. As the cigar burned past the second inch, the smoke revealed a fuller character. By the last third the smoke finally turned the corner. The flavors become richer, darker, and spicier, yet never lost that sliver of cognac flavor.
Summary: I really loved the flavor of this cigar. It had a nice Cuban-style component to it. The burn was good, but never razor clean. It always had a slightly ragged edge, but at least it never canoed. Though the balance of flavors was excellent, I expected this cigar to be more complex. But I’m not complaining. In and of itself, it had a very unique flavor profile, and that’s fine by me. Christian Eiroa probably knows as much or more about authentic Corojo leaf than anyone, and he really did a splendid job on this cigar, which turned out to be a one-inch nubber. If you enjoyed Christian’s former Camacho Corojo cigars, I’m confident you’ll find the CLE Corojo very impressive.
Rating: ????
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Rating scale
? = Fair to Middling
?? = Good
??? = Very impressive
???? = Excellent
????? = Spectacular!