Brand: Don Ramon Natural
Made By: Camacho Cigars
Vitola: Robusto
Ring Gauge: 50
Length: 5.00
Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Honduran
Origin: Honduras
MSRP: $6.05

Brand:
The Don Ramon Natural is a creation of Camacho Cigars as a house blend for H.J. Bailey Wholesale Distributors. The Don Ramon line is available in two types, a Natural and a Maduro. Cigars are packaged twenty-five per box and come in four sizes; a Churchill (48 x 7.00), Robusto (50 x 5.00), 660 (60 x 6.00), and a Toro (50 x 6.00).

Pre-Light:

After removing the Don Ramon Natural from its cellophane sleeve, I began to give the stick a once over. The first thing to grasp my attention was the uniform color of the wrapper. There were several small veins which did not add much in terms of a rough texture. When pinched, the cigar felt firm and evenly packed with tobacco. There were a couple of soft spots in various parts of the stick but none of those were large enough to cause any concern.

After quickly removing the head of my cigar with a pair of cigar scissors, I moved to checking the pre-light draw. The cold draw produced a mildly sweet and woody taste that reminded me of a wooden toothpick. The draw was very free with virtually no resistance.

First Third:

After the pre-light inspection was complete, I moved to the lighting process. After a quick toast, the cigar was evenly lit and producing loads of smoke. Initially the sheer volume of smoke was a little overwhelming as it poured out of the cigar with each puff. The body was mild while the finish was creamy and lingered on the palate for about a minute before fading.

In the flavor department, things were pretty straight forward and easy to pick apart. The variety of flavors consisted of wood, nuts, and a mild spiciness through the sinus. The flavors were about medium in terms of saturation and did not overpower the mild body.

The burning characteristics were fantastic. The ash was light in color with an attractive stacking appearance. The burn line was thin and even while producing a light resting smoke which filled the room with a mild and un-offensive aroma. The draw picked up a little resistance while continuing to provide loads of smoke with each puff.

Second Third:

After about forty-minutes, I was into the second third of my Don Ramon Natural. The body remained fairly mild but did seem to climb slightly. The finish, at one point, suddenly turned creamy and remained that way for the remainder of the second third.

The flavors of this portion of the cigar remained very similar to the first-third. The only noticeable difference at this point was an added bitterness that was slight. This seemed to be partially due to the cigar becoming warm due to the free draw that it exhibited.

Burn characteristics remain great. The burn line is thin and even while producing a light gray ash which is firm and tightly compacted. The burn rate seemed about average for a stick this size while the draw was free with slight resistance. Each puff continued to produce lots of thick smoke which was easily passed through the sinuses.

Final Third:

After nearly an hour and ten minutes, I was well into the final third of my Don Ramon Natural. The body of this stick progressed slightly but remain planted in the mild to medium range. The finish remained creamy and lingered on the palate for a minute, or so, before fading.

The flavor profile of this cigar was very consistent from front to back. Yet again, in this third, there is really nothing to report aside from the previously mentioned flavors of wood, nuts, and a mild spiciness though the sinus. The flavors seemed very laid back and easy to follow, which makes this seem like a good morning cigar.

The burn line remained thin and even while producing a strong compacted ash. As the cigar grew shorter it began getting a bit warm across the palate and fingers. As a result, the cigar began to turn slightly harsh and bitter.

Final Thoughts:

When it was all said and done, this cigar was thought to be pleasant and simple. The flavor profile was easy to follow and did not become harsh or unpleasant until it was practically burning my fingers. Thanks to Tom, it was brought to my attention that these cigars have a suggested retail price of $6.05 per single. My original figure in the Maduro review was based on dividing out the box price per cigar.

With that said, I think that these are a little steep when purchased by the single, but I wouldn’t hesitate to smoke them for roughly $3.00 per cigar (box divided out price).

This review was a joint effort between myself and Tom, of Toms Cigars. It was a pleasure doing a joint review with Tom and I hope to do another in the very near future. I hope that you enjoy watching it as much as we did recording it.

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