Origin: Danli, Honduras
Wrapper: Costa Rica
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua
Size Name: Robusto
Length: 5.00
Ring Gauge: 52
Strength: Full

Several months ago I purchased a grab bag from Cigars International. Among the ten cigars was an REO Robusto. I put this cigar away with the intention of smoking it for a reveiw shortly after receiving it. As times passed I forgot about it until just a few days ago when I came across it by accident.

The REO had a slightly oily sheen and was firm to the touch. The veins were small leaving the wrapper feeling smooth. After looking over the construction, I pulled out my trusty plug cutter and got down to work.

My cutter sliced through the cap with ease, making way to a decent pre light draw with rich tobacco flavors. After checking the draw I began to toast the foot, after just a few seconds the cigar was quickly producing smoke.

The initial flavor was earthy with a mildly spicy background. The body was medium while the finish was light but a touch on the dry side.

After a few puffs the cigar seemed as though it mellowed out. The finish was becoming creamy while staying light on the pallet. The cigar produced a good amount of thick smoke and a solid light grey ash.

As I worked my way a little further into the cigar the smoke became very rich and creamy. The flavor changed and began to taste like black coffee with some light bitter chocolate notes as the earthy base faded away.

When I reached the two thirds portion, the cigar started to demand constant attention. I could no longer let it sit in the ashtray for a couple of minutes, I had to constantly puff on it to keep it lit. Although this doesn’t seem all that bad, I am the type of smoker that likes to set my cigar down for about two minutes at a time between puffs. At this point in the cigar, letting it sit for that long was not an option.

As I continued things were very consistent in the flavor department. The only change at this point was an increase in body from medium to medium-full. The finish was still rich and creamy but was lasting longer on the pallet. The draw was still nice, however the ash was becoming crumbly.

When I got to the final portions of this cigar, the flavor began to get harsh. After a couple of failed purge attempts it was time to let the cigar go out.

To sum things up, I think the first portion of the cigar was the best, and it slowly declined from then on. I would probably smoke more of these in the future, but never with the intention of smoking it to the nub.