Brand: We The People
Maker: El Titan de Bronze
Vitola: Belicoso
Ring Gauge: 54
Length: 6.50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: Nicaragua
Origin: Miami, FL
MSRP: $268.00 per box
Brand:
We The People is a brand that I was introduced to at the 2009 IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans. I was introduced to Julia Lukash (General Manager) and Marcus Daniel Morine (President), of Bidwell Cigar, by Willy Herrera of El Titan de Bronze. Julia was kind enough to do a brief video talking about the brand We The People. After the video was complete, Marcus was kind enough to provide me with a few samples to do a review.
The We The People line of cigars are made up of Nicaraguan Fillers, Ecuadorian Binder, and an Ecuadorian grown Connecticut Shade Wrapper. Cigars are aged and packaged on beds of Spanish Cedar shavings. Cigars are offered in boxes of twenty which range from $210.00 to $268.00 per box MSRP.
The line is available in four sizes which include; a Coronabusto (44 x 4.50), Robusto (52 x 5.00), Belicoso (54 x 6.50), and a Churchill (50 x 7.50). Cigars are crafted in the El Titan de Bronze factory in Little Havana, Miami.
Pre-Light:
Before lighting up my We The People Belicoso, I gave it a gentle pinch up and down the length of the stick to get a feel for the density of the tobacco inside. What I found was a uniformly packed cigar that was neither too hard nor too soft. There was a single hollow spot at the head, just above the band.
The color of the wrapper was consistent from head to foot but contained two flaws at the foot. These flaws were in the form of greenish discolorations and some chipping in the leaf which exposed the wrap below. This greenish discoloration was most likely a simple sun or water spot which is not uncommon among this type of leaf.
With the head of my cigar open, I found the pre-light draw too be a little too loose for my taste. Flavors on the cold draw were mildly sweet with a cedar aftertaste. During the clipping process, the tapered head was easily compressed by my cutter but did not tear the leaf.
First Third:
After a quick and painless toasting and lighting session, my We The People Belicoso was evenly lit and producing a good supply of thick smoke. After the initial puff was passed through my sinuses, I was given a pleasing punch from the power of the stick. It immediately made me think of the Connecticut wrapped 601 Black by EO Brands.
In the documentation that came with my samples, it described this cigar as “one of the most full bodied mild cigars of its kind on the market”. At this point in the cigar I definitely agree on this description. Each puff produces a firm punch in the sinuses due to the strength and power of the stick, but the body (mouth feel) remains mild.
The primary flavor that grabs my attention is that of Spanish Cedar. The interesting thing is that this flavor comes at me in a wave after the smoke is expelled from my mouth. It seems to hit the back of my tongue and creates a dry sensation while at the same time offering a bit of a creamy sensation at the front of my tongue. Through the sinuses I get a bold and spicy punch that fades quickly.
Second Third:
After roughly eighty minutes, the second third of my We The People Belicoso was coming to a close. All aspects of the cigar remained consistent from the first third and I was slowly becoming bored by the consistency.
The only noticeable change that I found was an increase in the potency of the Spanish Cedar flavor that came through in a rush after the smoke was expelled from the mouth. It left the same dry sensation on the back of my tongue while giving me a mildly creamy sensation on the front.
The draw remained the same and was a bit loose for my taste. The smoke volume was pleasing and produced a dense and flavorful smoke which was easily passed through the sinuses. The burn line was wavy and thick in spots but did not cause any ill affects on the way the cigar smoked. My biggest complaint thus far has been the flaky ash that seems to constantly drift off of the cigar and winds up everywhere but inside the ashtray.
Final Third:
After about an hour and twenty minutes of smoking, the final third of my We The People Belicoso was coming to a close. The body remained mild, as it was in previous thirds, and the finish had an interesting dry sensation on the back of the tongue while producing a creamy sensation on the front.
The flavor profile remained basically the same with the occasional addition of a bready taste coming in as a secondary flavor. The addition of a softer flavor was nice, but was easily overpowered by the main cedar component.
The burn line straightened up considerably and became much thinner. The ash was very powdery and made a mess each and every time I picked up the cigar. The draw remained a little loose but provided a generous supply of thick smoke.
Final Thoughts:
After having met Julia and Marcus at the 2009 IPCPR Trade Show and learning that their cigar was a product made by El Titan de Bronze, I was eager to get home and start smoking them for review. I was intrigued by the packaging and thought that the presentation would appeal to a lot of people.
After learning what the MSRP was per box, I had a hard time getting over the price point. When that MSRP of $268.00 was divided out by twenty cigars, even before smoking it, that the cost of $13.40 per stick would make people shy away from it. Being one of the few full flavored mild cigars on the market, I still could not justify the price point and would surely reach for two 601 Black Labels or Oliva Connecticut Reserves in the place of a single We The People.
Cost aside, I thought that the start of this stick was very interesting but quickly became bored with its consistency. If consistency is key in your choice of cigars, this may be something worth looking into. If you have the same taste as myself, you may want to look elsewhere for your Connecticut fix.
As for the question ,, I would probably ask for the size I was most likely to buy. (A robusto for me) I smoke so many of that size that I know what I would expect from it. If it isn’t good in a size I smoke, then its probably not for me, no matter how good the Churchill might be for others.
Thanks for a good review Walt. SR is doing a good job.
First and foremost, you are a consumer and producers need to address your preferences rather than trying to push their own onto you. Maybe making a bigger cigar means that companies would sell more tobacco at a higher price, but if it is not what people really want to smoke, then it is a big loss to them. Not to say that larger cigars don’t have a market, but smoking cigars is shifting from something you would enjoy to something you would endure.
Great job SR team
well put.
Great review!
I would sit back and take what they give you to review – I myself would love to see reviews on EACH size available, but you would be posting 10 reviews a day to try and keep up 😉 I like to see the reviews on the big sizes (6X60) compared to the smaller sizes (5X50)!!! I figure even if your preferred size is 5X50, you never know how much you might like a bigger or smaller size till you try it.
As for this cigar, it seems to be WAY overpriced! I wonder if that has something to do with being rolled in Miami? I dont think I will pick any up at this price, maybe if they run them in 5-packs for $30-$40 I might try them
Mike
I met with these folks at the show too, and received the Churchill, Torpedo, and Coronabusto to try. After smoking them, I found myself most impressed with the Coronabusto, followed by the Torpedo, and the Churchill a distant 3rd.
I completely agree with your analysis of its flavor profile. I predict that in a year or two, this line will find its way to the closeout bin. That’s unfortunate, because it’s not a bad stick. Just incorrectly priced.
Though it always pains me to agree with Hayward, I have to agree with him agreeing with you regarding your analysis. LOL I smoked the churchill, and if I were to light up another, I would opt for the much smaller “Coronabusto”.
I have to think that they’re trying to provide Davidoff smokers with a patriotic stick to light up on the 4th of July.
If I plan on reviewing cigars that are given to me, I will generally default to whatever the manufacturer thinks is their best vitola. If they don’t have one, or ask me what size I prefer, then I’m with you, I’d rather go with the smaller cigars. When I’m getting a cigar to smoke on the spot, I’ll specify the vitola, if I have the option. Tactfully, of course. LOL
This seems really over priced. And thanks for the review I know to not bother wasting my money on this Cigar. For that price I can pick up a few really good Cigars. Sometimes the price of a cigar is not worth it at all.
Thanks for a great review. I think that I will be passing on this over-priced stick, and enjoying the Oliva instead.
Great review. I think in these tough times the last thing we need is another cigar that should retail in the $4 range being packaged and dolled up for 3-4 times what its worth. We already have Davidoff, Graycliff & Gurhka doing this for us do we need more of these guys? Obviously they did not get the message that we need value here brothers of the leaf… Sounds like this Emperor is really walking thru the streets naked in this case who knows maybe they will find enough idiots who don’t want to admit they can’t see the clothes. I do however have my doubts.
Im with you walt, the robusto size is my favorite. I think i would have intergected for my favorite size, everyone has different taste’s and size preferences, i think most companies would accept that and offer your size, if it was available.
It seems that a few of the people reviewing this cigar haven’t even bothered to find this cigar and smoke it. Thankfully I was able to smoke two coronabustas and liked them very very much. (I usually smoke full bodied cigars) The cigar itself is mild but is a more full bodied mild which is nice. It is also somewhat peppery and could be smoked any time of the day. (I smoked mine around 10PM) If someone is going to complain about the price may I suggest looking at the prices of other cigars? I am from Minnesota (second highest cigar tax in the USA) and this is CHEAP! the price on this is max 11-12 dollars. These cigars are also rolled in the US in Miami. The tobacco is tubed and then wrapped with the binder and then wrapper. This process takes a lot longer due to rolling individual tobacco leaves and also this gives the cigar a perfect draw. Please smoke the cigar before you review it! Overall great cigar for something I normally don’t smoke!
So PLEASE, stop complaining about this cigar being overpriced when in fact it’s cheap. Enjoyed it and will smoke plenty more! Try it before you before you unjustly bash it.
We the people huh? It does look like an over embelished overpriced cigar. I usually work with mild cigars. I mostly order milds so I don’t have to waste my money.