A couple of weeks ago I published a review of the Inferno 3rd Degree, a cigar produced by Oliva for Famous Smoke Shop. Despite the cigars not being quite what I was expecting, I enjoyed the samples. Actually, I enjoyed them enough to put in an order for the original Inferno for comparison.

During that review of the Inferno 3rd Degree, I mentioned that Famous was kind enough to also send a few El Mas Chingon Cigars for me to try as well. These cigars are a Famous Smoke Shop Exclusive produced by Room 101.

Now, before we get into the review I need to take you on a little detour. For those of you that have kids, I’m sure you can relate in some way. I have a daughter that watches a variety of different cartoons. Every now and again she finds one that has a theme song that burrows into my brain and just wont let go. The tune will burst forward at the most inopportune times.

The first time I glanced at the El Mas Chingon Band, the very first thing that screamed in my mind was “Chuggington – Chugga, Chugga, Chugga, Chug-Ing-Ton!” Ever since that moment I have been unable to take this cigar seriously. Can you blame me, it makes me think of singing trains! Look at the artwork for the brand and tell me the face couldn’t be dropped onto the front of an old school locomotive.

Anyway, let’s get back on track with the review…

Upon clipping the El Mas Chingon, I found the pre-light draw to be loose and airy with some mild herbal-like flavors. This particular sample is a 60 ring gauge and took a little extra time to light. Once lit it produced plenty of smoke that bellowed out both ends.

The first few puffs were a bit off-putting as the primary taste is a blend of herbs and freshly cut grass. The body falls into the medium range and the finish is slightly dry. In terms of construction, I was impressed but the taste left a lot to be desired.

As I smoked along I kept reminding myself that sometimes a cigar takes a little time before it blossoms. In this case the El Mas Chington never came around. By the time I reached the half way point all I wanted to do was pitch it and light up something else.

I would say the the flavor profile of this cigar is mostly a natural tobacco flavor with nuances of raisin, pecan, grass, and wood. Nothing comes on heavy enough to take the lead and it leaves me feeling like it is just a mismatched jumble of flavors.

The body remained medium and the finish varied from dry to dryer. The draw was excellent and produced plenty of dense smoke. The burn was even but required the occasional touch up to keep the cigar lit. In terms of construction, the El Mas Chingon is a well made cigar.

The last order I placed with Famous Smoke Shop came with a free sample of this cigar. For free, this cigar isn’t terrible, however, I would never spend $7.00 for it. You would be far better off buying the Room 101 Payback.