Origin : Dominican Republic
Wrapper : Dominican Republic
Binder : Dominican Republic
Filler : Dominican Republic
Source : Cigar.com
Today’s smoke is the Arganese Uno Puro. As the name suggests, it is a pure Dominican Republic cigar. This cigar is said to be slightly infused with cognac and most places online i find it, it also comes in individual coffins. For this cigar there is only one size, 6.0 x 60.
I purchased these on March, 5th, 2010 from a sale that cigar.com had and I paid $15.90 for the 10 I bought, total. After doing some research for this review, I see these cigars listed as high as $73 for a box of 5 in individual coffins. I received mine without the coffin, so I am not sure if there is any difference or not. Maybe these were seconds, the coffins were damaged, or maybe they just removed them to save on the weight of shipping. I really do not know.
I also checked cigar.com’s website and I can no longer find these cigars for sale. Maybe it was a big clearance?
So with that full disclosure above, I may have a different impression than you have had due to mine not being sealed in the coffins.
Pre-Light
Let’s take a gander at this Arganese Uno Puro. First thing I notice is how I really like the color of the wrapper. You can see differences in the chocolate brown wrapper where it almost looks like it has some black streaks in it. Very nice looking.
Sniffing the cigar, the predominant scent I get is cedar and on this one a bit of pepper comes through.
Sparking up this cigar takes a little bit of work, probably because of the size but we get her lit up and smoking.
First Third
First couple of draws on my Arganese Uno Puro do not give a whole lot of smoke but we will see how this progresses.
Well this first third is not going very well. I have been having burn problems and cracking from the start. I am really only getting that subtle sweetness and a woodsy/cedary taste. I believe this is because of how much work I have to do to keep the cigar going.
I mention in the video that it seemed like someone left a chunk of wood in the cigar. That is the best way I can describe how awful the burn is on the one side of the cigar. Black as coal ash is also on that side while the rest of the cigar has almost a pure white ash.
I really do not think the ones that come in coffin are this way as I doubt they would have received any sort of top 10 honor placement like they did in 2008.
Second Third
Starting into the second third of my Arganese Uno Puro and it is more of the same. Touch-ups and re-lights abound due to my lovely chunk on the one side of the cigar.
Nothing has changed in the second third except I am picking up more of a bitterness to the smoke. Still getting the subtle sweetness and woody taste.
Burn is just plain horrible. It doesn’t veer off and canoe or anything, but the one side just will not keep going. I think I have relit this cigar at least 4 times and touched it up no less than 8 times, just to try and keep this review going.
Final Third
Here we are into the final third of my Arganese Uno Puro and I am praying to the cigar gods that it will just stay lit. If I would not be doing a review, I would have put this down a while ago.
Well I ended this cigar a lot earlier than I normally do but I just could not keep the thing lit.
I was getting the same flavors with a little more bitterness towards the end, which could have come from the multiple re-lights and touch-ups.
Wrap-Up
I can honestly say this Arganese Uno Puro was one of the most difficult cigars I have ever smoked. It should have been pitched a lot earlier than I did, but I tried to make it work. Every one of the 9 I have smoked have had these same type of problems.
Like I said in the video, I can not say if the cigar is a total waste or not because I have never had any that came in the actual coffin. I will say, if you find these without the coffin, I would be very leery about buying them, no matter the cost.
I hope someone out there has had these that came in the coffins and can tell me if they act the same way or not. Please let me a comment and let me know.
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Good job on pushing through that smoke. Sucks when the draw is tight and the cigar splits like that, maybe a guillotine cut would have taken care of that draw issue. How long has that cigar been sitting in your humi?
It was goofy, the draw seemed loose but the cigar kept going out so fast I would hardly get any smoke.
Since I bought them in March, they have been in my humi, so a little over 2 months.
Your debit card number… GIVE IT TO ME.
ok
1111 2222 3333 4444 5555
dont spend too much please
:p
Sweet thanks. Also thanks for the review, this cigar sounds like a POS!
Mike,
I’m curious what is the best cigar you have come across that is the same or near the price point of these?
Mike,
I Like that torch! I notice both you and Walt are using that torch… Is that a Blazer?
Keep up the great work!
Glad I didn’t buy these when they were on sale. When it looks too good to be true, it usually isn’t. Thanks for the reviews as always.
I bought some without the coffins last year, 10 cigars, let them sit for a few months and smoked a couple since then, sent a couple to my dad also, and neither of us had a problem with the burn or draw..we both thought the cigars were a steal for the price I paid..sorry you got a bad batch, they are not bad cigars, not worth the MSRP but not a dud either.
I has one of the cigars a week ago, and i would rate it a 92-95, . no probl;em with the burn, I think Mike needs to adjust the humi
I hope the batch I just ordered is better than the ones your received. I had one of these in the samples I got from Cigarfest 2014 in PA. I liked a lot. Cedar, a little sweet & spicy, with a hint of something flowery. I saw a deal on Cigars.com at a price of $29.95 for 10, so I jumped on them. I went poking around the Web and noticed some sites had them with the coffins at $50-$70 for 5. So I thought to myself…what’s the deal? Then I came across your review, and thought Oh Boy! I may be in for 10 crappy sticks. I’ll post the results of the first couple of sticks I smoke.
Keep puffin!
KFK
I am partway thru a Uno Puro that I received as a gift a while back, in the coffin. Far better than expected from it thus far. The burn at 1/2way is still spot on and the slight sweetness from the cognac and some cinnamon are a pleasant note. For certain a early in the day cigar as it is very light for my tastes but nonetheless a good mild smoke. I will purchase a few of these in the coffin if I find a deal.
Long Ashes
Kent
You must have gotten a bad stick. The UNO is my favorite smoke off all time and the only one that I make sure I always have on hand.
Are these still made? It’s been years since I’ve seen one.
You can still find them on cigars international and cigars.com. I order some every month or two.
These cigars are fantastic! I’ve smoked a box of them and they have a very unique flavor. Every one has a powdered donut smell, very sweet smoke. Some baking spices come through. The burn on all of the ones I’ve smoked behaved themselves nicely. I wouldn’t pay $16 a stick as retail price suggests, but through the auctions they can be had for considerably cheaper. I always want to have a few of these in the humidor. I really thought this is a smoke that could have come from Drew Estates camp. Beautifully infused for a truely unique and different experience.