
Robusto Varies Selection
In South Africa, since before the 1970’s, a short thick cigar from Hoyo (124mm x Ring 50) was revered as the ultimate smoke. This popularity was created purely by the dimensions of the cigar, not necessarily by the blend or taste. The draw is easy; the flavour is full and the length of smoking time comfortable. This size cigar from the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua was often named Rothschild. When the Cuban Cohiba of this size was produced, they used the name Robusto - and this is the name that has become the generic for all cigars of approximately these dimensions. In the Premier issue of Cigar Aficionado (Autumn 1992) the “Robusto / Rothschild” size was selected for the first tasting. It is still the most popular size today (December 2020), These 3 cigars are all ring 50, but slightly different in lengths from the classic robusto which is 124mm x Ring 50.
Gillian Wesley
Quintero Favoritos: Cuban (115mm x Ring 50)
Quintero is one of the few Habanos brands not born in Cuba’s capital city, Havana. Instead its founder Agustin Quintero with his four brothers set up shop in the south coast city of Cienfuegos, known as the “Pearl of the South”. Then as now all the tobaccos selected for Quintero came from the Vuelta Abajo region. The Quintero cigar blend is noted for a herbal flavor with sweet aftertaste, medium bodied.. Quintero cigars are budget cigars, totally handmade, short filler normally with more slender ringsize (up to Ring 41). However, in April 2012, a new vitola was launched: - totally handmade, short filler, a slightly shorter Robusto size, the Favoritos.
Belmore Robusto Maduro: (127mm x Ring 50) (formerly “Clasico”)
Belmore is a long filler cigar handmade in the Charles Fairmorn factory, Santiago, Dominican Republic – a factory which appears to specialise in niche cigars. The Belmore Robusto uses a special blend of Dominican Olor and Piloto Cubano leaves for the filler together with Nicaraguan leaf for a fuller flavour. Wrapper: Brazil Arapiraca, Binder: Dominican, Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan
The Arapiraca is a naturally dark leaf from the municipality of Arapiraca on the north east coast of Brazil. Slightly lighter colour than a true Maduro, it has a full earthy flavour and a slight sweetness, though possibly less than a true Maduro.
This is a full bodied, slow burning cigar – and beware, this is not a “before a meal” smoke
La Aurora Family Reserve Guillermo Leon Robusto 127mm x Ring 50
This is a full-bodied cigar. Guillermo Leon smokes cigars from this blend every day. The cigar artisans at La Aurora hand roll each cigar meticulously with the finest Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian filler tobaccos, Dominican and Cameroon double binder, and the smooth Ecuador wrapper. The Double binder Has Dominican for strength and Cameroon for sweetness, Together with the filler and binder tobaccos this combination offers delightfully complex flavours.
Classic Robusto format, this cigar has achieved a score of 90 in Cigar Aficionado tastings.
Filler: Peru, Dominican Republic, Brazil Binder: Dominican and Cameroon
Wrapper:Ecuadorian Habano |