By Gary Korb
The Cigar That Begs the Question: “What are you smoking?”
I’m not your typical flavor infused cigar smoker, but I’ve always maintained you should keep your mind open to new and different cigars. They won’t all be gems, but eventually, you’ll stumble upon something that really smacks your palate. In my case, it’s the Tabak Especial Negra by Drew Estate, makers of ACID cigars, and the company that reigns supreme in the world of infused cigars.
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: 5″ x 54
Strength: Medium to Medium-plus
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
My Experience: I’ve always loved cigars with a great aroma, so, even though infused cigars are on my short list, the Tabak Especial Robusto Negra does it for me every time. You can practically taste the Nicaraguan estate-grown coffee as ribbons of fragrant smoke ooze from both ends of the cigar. It’s downright seductive.
Blend-wise, Nicaraguan Criollo fillers are framed by a Sumatra binder, then deftly rolled in a dark and naturally sweet Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. The bushy foot also a nice aesthetic to the cigar’s profile. All combined, it’s a perfectly-balanced brew of bold Nicaraguan tobacco flavors and dark-roasted coffee aromas.
The first couple of inches of the Robusto Negra are the most spellbinding. The smoke is mellow and creamy, leaving a velvety finish on the palate as that enticing coffee fragrance works its magic. If you’re smoking it around other people, it’s almost certain someone will turn to you and say, “Gee, that smells good. What are you smoking?”
In the final inches, the cigar takes on a more traditional role. The body kicks-up a notch, the smoke is spicier, the sweetness applies the brakes, and the aroma lingers on.
Suffice it to say . . . if you’ve never had an infused cigar, start here, especially if you’re a coffee drinker. The quality is par excellence, and pairing the Tabak Especial Robusto Negra with coffee isn’t redundant, it’s just that much better. A superb, end-of-the-day departure for cigar smokers in both the traditional and flavored cigar camps at every experience level.
If you’ve had an experience with this cigar, please leave a comment or share a similar experience.
Executive Editor
Gary Korb has been writing and editing content for CigarAdvisor.com since its debut in 2008. An avid cigar smoker for over 30 years, he has worked on the marketing side of the premium cigar business as a Sr. Copywriter, blogger, and Executive Editor of Cigar Advisor. A graduate of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, prior to his career in the cigar business, Gary worked in the music and video industry as a marketer and a publicist.
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My only cigar. Cigar is yoga.
I tried this one because I saw it on this site and in my cigar magazine. It is by far the smoothest cigar I’ve ever had and is my hands down favorite cigar right now. I introduced it to my mistress and her friend and they both absolutely loved it. It’s smooth and the coffee flavor tastes good and the aroma of the cigar as it smokes is beautiful. I love it!
I can identify to the T my experience with my first infused cigar. It is my favorite cigar by far.
Tabak Especial is up there in my top 2 since I favor the coffee infused fare.
I also like the Java, but that Tabak Especial Londsdale is pretty awesome.
G-~