By now, most of you have probably seen the top ten portion of the annual Top 25 list published by a major cigar “lifestyle” magazine that shall remain nameless. As usual, there are a few surprises. Coming in at number 7 was the Cabaiguan Guapos, made by Pete Johnson from Tatuaje. This was a bit unexpected (at least by me), since there are several other cigars in the Tatuaje portfolio that are generally considered to be better than the Cabaiguan line.
However, I thought to myself, maybe I was missing something here? Perhaps the Cabaiguan Guapos was a diamond in the rough that I had overlooked. I knew I had one resting in my coolidor that I received as part of my Saints & Sinners membership kit. Before I lit up, I checked the Stogie Review Cigar Review Index to see what our guys had to say about this stick. To my surprise, I discovered that none of us had done a review of this particular cigar (although Jerry reviewed the maduro version in 2009). So, in order to make sure all of our great readers would have a second opinion available before they rushed out to buy the “#7 Cigar of the Year,” I recorded a first impressions video as I smoked my Cabaiguan Guapos.
Cabaiguan Guapos by the numbers:
Size: 5.625×54
Vitola: Toro Grande Natural
Wrapper: Connecticut Ecuador Sol
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Mild-Medium
Factory: My Father Cigars in Esteli, Nicaragua
No. smoked for review: 1 (first impressions)
Duration: 1 hour
Source: purchased by the reviewer (part of the Saints & Sinners membership kit)
MSRP: $11.00
Website: www.tatuajecigars.com
Twitter: @TatuajeCigars
(Video length: 11:48)
Soundtrack: “Josh Woodward – Let It In (Abbey Road edit)” by stellarartwars (courtesy of ccMixter.org)
The Cabaiguan Guapos started off with some really nice woody, nutty, and creamy notes, together with some twang and just a bit of spice. Quickly the draw became far too loose, as some tunneling developed apparently caused by a soft spot. After I smoked past that point, the draw improved significantly, however the burn then became uneven requiring a few touch-ups. Towards the end of the cigar, I picked up a buttery sweetness with some natural tobacco flavor, and the wrapper started to crack-up on me just as I was nubbing it.
Overall, the Cabaiguan Guapos was good, maybe even very good, but not great. It’s definitely a solid cigar, but nowhere near Pete’s best cigars, some of which (in my opinion) are among the best cigars money can buy. In any event, such a high ranking in the most famous Top 25 list might leave a few of us scratching our heads, but it’ll certainly lead more people to try a cigar that they might not have picked up otherwise. And who knows — for some it might just become their favorite smoke of all time.
About Charlie:
Charlie has been enjoying cigars since 2000 and generally prefers a medium-bodied, full-flavored smoke. A USAF vet, he is currently pursuing a PhD in computer science, focusing on artificial intelligence and computational linguistics. Originally from Connecticut and now residing in Delaware, Charlie is also a fan of football, science fiction, political philosophy, and single malt scotch. You can contact Charlie on Twitter @greenbacker
This has been one of my favorite Pete Johnson blends for a while, not THE favorite though. I legitimately love these things but for a few bucks less I can get better Pete cigars so I rarely opt for them unless I can get them cheaper on some bid sites. Thanks for the review!
Charlie – Nicely done. Enjoyed your review very much. The Cabaiguan is a solid smoke by Pete and I think a little under rated. I agree no where near Pete’s best stuff and not really a Top 10 caliber when you think its not even Pete’s best stuff. When will you be making your YQMA debut?
Thanks, Kevin. We’ve been talking about recording a YQMA episode soon, but it’s hard to find a time when all of our schedules align. Got any questions you’d like us to answer?
It would’ve been great if your macbook would’ve fallen off the deck…LOL
Like your camera has done a few years age Jerry…..
I’d send the repair bill to Walt, LOL.
Great review Charlie, The Cabaiguan Maduro is better than Conn. for my taste………The B&M cigars in New York City are made with better tobacco leaves and contruction than the B&M cigars are outside of the New York City because The Cigar Aficionado magazine is in New York……CONSPIRACY THEORY……..