Origin : Philippines
Wrapper : Unknown
Binder : Unknown
Filler : Unknown
Source : Thompson Cigar Exclusive
Today I have a super cheap smoke review for your viewing and reading pleasure, the Thompson Black Label Robusto Natural. These are an exclusive cigar for Thompson Cigar and therefore I can not find much information about them online.
These cigars come in bundles of 25 at a price of $15.95 per bundle and are a mixed filler cigar.
I picked these up along with a special they were running just to see how well a $16 bundle cigar would hold up. I won’t spoil the surprise, so you will have to watch and read to see how it goes.
Pre-Light
Taking a gander at this Thompson Cigar Black Label it has a nice chocolate brown color with minimal veins running through it. I get no scent from the wrapper itself, but the foot gives a very slight natural tobacco scent.
Today’s cigar will be paired with Dr. Pepper. I also get to use my Xikar cutter that a great BOTL sent to me, rather than my cheapy one.
After snipping the head I notice this cigar has a very tight draw to it. I am hoping it will open up once it is lit.
First Half
Starting out this Thompson Cigar Black Label I am having draw issues. When I say issues, I should say tightness. This cigar almost draws like I forgot to cut the cap.
If you want anything with any body to it, you should stay away from the start of this one. I am a mild-medium smoker and this thing is super mild even to my tastes. I am only really getting a natural tobacco taste with bit of hay and grass on the start.
As I get close to the halfway point I am beginning to pick up a bit of spice and a woody taste. Body is still super mild though and the draw is wearing out my cheeks. I really wish these had a little looser draw to them.
Second Half
Starting out the second half of my Thompson Cigar Black Label, I am getting a little bit of spice and a major woody taste. We are still at the super mild stage folks.
Winding up the second half of this stick at a little over an hour and we are still at the mild stage. I am getting a lot more spice towards the end and am also getting that cauliflower taste every couple puffs.
I am getting a mild headache but I am thinking it is due to the super tight draw on this stick and having to puff so hard to get anything from it.
Wrap-Up
After smoking this Thompson Cigar Black Label, I have to admit, I do not hate them. I was really thinking that I was going to absolutely rip them apart in my review but I just can not do it. Now with that being said, there are few cigars that I would really trash and that is because there is a place for most cigars out there. Some people will love these for a mild cigar they can smoke tons of without breaking the bank. Other people will like them because they are cheap enough for a yard-gar or similar smoke, and of course, some people will absolutely hate them for not being flavorful and more powerful.
I can see myself keeping some of these on hand for either the novice smoker to try or even for something when I don’t want a cigar with a lot of body to it.
One thing that I wish was changed is the draw. I can not stand a tight draw. That is the main reason I could not smoke these more often.
Well there you have it. Let me know what you think of these, if you have ever tried them. I know there are a lot of people who won’t think these are even worth a shot, but still let me a comment and tell me why you think that way.
I will say, I always feel like smoking another cigar shortly after one of these. I actually smoked two of these in a row one day. Hope you understand how mild these really are!
Keep smokin.
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Great Review, was wondering if this was worth filling my humidor for my newbie friends. Although I wonder if the tightness could just be a bad cigar. I’ve heard Thompson Cigars are notorious for consistency issues. Perhaps this is one to smoke several more times and doing a follow-up Review.
I have smoked through over half the bundle and every single one had a tight draw 🙁 That is the main complaint I have against them or I would make it a normal thing in my humidor.
Mike
Damn, dude…taking one for Team Stogie Review smoking these, eh? Did you smoke the requisite 3 to 5 samples for this review or was it just a “one-off”?
To be perfectly honest (and is there a better way to be?), I haven’t approached a Thompson in a good many years. I bought one of their travel humidor specials a while back and it came with 10 sticks: a few decent name brands and a few Thompson crap-gars. I ended up giving the Thompson-branded sticks to a friend–who shall remain nameless as you may just meet him–who enjoyed them. Of course, my friend has been known to smoke days-old stubs that he found lying on the fire extinguisher box at his brother’s apartment building…and like them! And he has been known to go around at cigar events and salvage the longer stubs that people have left on the edge of ashtrays, putting the remains in his sock (yes, attached to his foot) and take them home for later smoking. So to say he enjoyed Thompson sticks is really no great praise.
I don’t know–you should be given some kind of award by Stogie Review for having the chutzpah to review something like this…and not even for an April Fools Day review!!! 😛
Thanks for the review Mike!
Hmm…let me see no flavor and the draw sucks. Doesn’t sound like anything I’ll ever be buying. I’ve been able to get some good deals on some full flavored cigars (Arganese and Gran Habano) so they are only about $2 each. So I’d rather just wait for those for the give away cigars.
Nice review Mike. I like your assessments – your style is starting to grow on me. Keep up the good work!
Mike,
Nothing wrong with smoking an inexpensive cigar once in a while. Athough, you may be pushing it with this one. In fact, it is nice to see some less expensive cigars reviewed. Like you said, for those of us that don’t have the money to smoke 2-4 $6+ cigars a day. That being said, I don’t think I’ll be picking up any of these bargains, think I’ll wait for the next one.
Oh my god, I can’t believe you wore that. Thats is just WAY too funny. I can’t wait till my wife see this. hahahahahahaa! Now we need to get REALLY creative on your next package.
Openeing – absolutely CLASSIC!! Loved it!
I can’t wait to see what Tony & his wife come up with next.
I did find it curious that you did a Thompson review sponsored by Jameson Cigar Co.
I wonder how Pete Johnson feels about you filling his nice Tatuaje ashtray with a Thompson
And the Cell Phone with a rotary -phone ring??
You’re just a man of contradictions today, but that is OK. (We won’t mention the clock chimes – LOL)
Good review of a budget smoke that it sounds like isn’t really worth the small price tag it carries. And for YOU to say it’s mild…’smoke flavored air’…gotta love that reference.
Keep up the good work Mike!
I have had nothing but headaches with Thompson Cigar. It got to the point where they threatened legal action because I refused to pay for a delivery of cigars I had not ordered and had returned to them. There is a market for mid to low end cigars and Thompson has a lot of products for that market (especially the low end) but I urge anyone and everyone to take their business elsewhere. Look around on the internet at the number of negative reviews for Thompson Cigars. even if they have the perfect low end cigar for you — do you need a bunch of minimum wage employees sending you threatening letters because of their mismanagement? The Black Label Robusto may or may not be good value for money — that isn’t the issue. The issue is that you have to deal with an aggressive, incompetent company to get it.
Like Cletus, I too will pass on any and all things Thompson. As the saying goes, fool me once . . . .
I have bought cigars for months from them , then i get a
call to be part of a club , i asked if I was going to be charged a
fee of any sort they said no its just a club for points , A month
later I have $125 dollars withdrawn from my bank account . i called
costumer service I don’t get a call back till 4 days later and get
called a liar by the supervisor ,I asked her if she heard the
recorded phone call se said “no” . she said she has notes from some
department (probably the same person that lied to me) THOMPSON
CIGAR COMPANY IS RUNNING A SCAM . I asked for my money to be
returned immediately . I was told NO .UNPROFESSIONAL ,MISLEADING
,COSTUMER SERVICE IS NONE EXISTING AND DISAPPOINTING ..these are
not the best of times to loose customers , my recommendation is DO
NO USE THIS COMPANY . SAD WAY TO RUN A BUSINESS .
Thompson loves to mix a lot of crap in with their samplers. A few brand names and lots of cigars that should be called “Aroma de Ammonia.” Forget it. They actually market a bundle called “Throw-outs.” So much for self-respect. Hard to believe that JR hasn’t put them out of business.
i actully saw this exclusive plus some extra stuff at thompsoncigarreview.com but they took it off a month ago
so im trying to find a new sample, they keep mixing up so much stuff blahhhh