A few weeks back I got an email from C-Bid about a sampler of Jericho cigars. The price was decent (around $30.00) so I decided to place a bid. After a few days I got an email letting me know that I had won my auction and that I was the owner of a Jericho Sampler.

The whole reason I decided to take the chance on these sticks was that I read an article in the Cigars International mailer a couple of months back. The article talked up these cigars as being an old brand that was recently bought by Camacho and re-blended. If you are a regular here at Stogie Review, you probably know that I enjoy a good Camacho cigar, so I had to pull the proverbial trigger and give these a shot.

After a couple weeks of resting in the humidor, and since I have been on a bit of a Camacho kick lately, I decided to fire up one of the Robustos I received. While looking over the wrapper I found it to have a fair amount of medium sized veins and a lumpy appearance. When given a slight pinch, I felt a mixture of soft and hard spots throughout the length of the stick.

After my pre light inspection I reached for my plug cutter and began piercing the cap. The result was a quick clean cut that led way to a smooth pre light draw with little resistance. Toasting and lighting was effortless and produces a good volume of smoke in little time. The initial flavor was a very intense spice that immediately irritated the back of my throat and sinuses. The finish was long and pungent while the body was very full at this point.

The first six or eight puffs produced this overwhelming spice and power that I thought was very unbalanced and not enjoyable whatsoever. During this portion of the cigar the burn was erratic and ugly while producing a fairly light colored ash. The draw was good while still producing a good volume of smoke.

Once I pushed past the first half inch or so the power mellowed considerably. The body was still full bodied but the spice began to fade enough that I could begin to enjoy the smoke. The finish was slightly dry and sharp leaving me with a quick spice on the palate that quickly disappeared. The base flavor turned to wood with some grassy undertones while the draw remained easy with little resistance.

As I reached the two thirds mark, the burn began to straighten up and produce a firm light colored ash. The base flavor remained woody and the grassy undertones faded away. The finish remained sharp on the palate and was becoming semi creamy and smooth. The spice was now beginning to pick up slightly, but remained enjoyable. The only negative aspect of the cigar at this point is that it is becoming harsh and requires a quick purge on occasion to clear up.

The final third of this stick was shaping up to smoke just as the first third. The body began to pick up as did the spice. At this point the spice was getting to be too intense and unenjoyable once again. The finish was still semi creamy and smooth as well as sharp on the palate. The burn rate was becoming a little faster and still produced a good volume of smoke. The base flavor remained woody but seemed to lack some of the depth it had previously. Once the cigar was about an inch and a half long, it became too harsh to smoke and I was forced to lay it to rest in the ashtray.

Overall I think that this cigar lacks some of the finesse I have come to appreciate in other Camacho blended cigars. I also feel that this stick is unbalanced and packs to much power for my taste. If you enjoy full bodied smokes and can pick up a few of these cigars to sample I would recommend them, but if you are a medium bodied cigar smoker I would recommend staying away from this one.