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Size: 5×50, Robusto

Wrapper: Sumatran

Filler: Panamanian

Strength: Medium-Full

Price: Box of 20, $114.99; 5-pack, $25.99

Grade: 8.8

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Matt over at Tex Cigars recently sent us a couple of the Mad Dog sticks in the Robusto size. This blend is only sold as a Robusto and Torpedo, and is hand-made in Panama. Often grown with a bit of volcanic soil, cigars from Panama can carry some unique flavors. Though many cigars are produced in this region, less are actually shipped from Panama, which Tex lists as one of the unique features of the Mad Dog.

The Mad Dog rested in our humidor for a couple months and we’ve been itching to give it a shot.

This review comes from our close friend Chris; He and his wife just celebrated the birth of their first child, a healthy little boy named Lane! Everyone welcome Chris, and congratulate him on the new addition!

Appearance 1.8:
The appearance on this stick is beautiful—a reddish brown Sumatran wrapper that is very smooth and oily, the Mad Dog makes a great first impression. There are minimal veins and no soft spots—very well constructed. The pre-light draw is solid with notes of sweet pepper. The band on this stick is eye-catching, with a shiny chrome outline of a Mad looking Dog set against a black background.

Burn, 1.5:
By far the biggest deduction, the burn on stick struggled from the beginning. The “v” shaped burned only worsened as the smoke progressed. Though the ash was consistently colored and held well, the crooked burn required several touch-ups to correct. On the positive side, the draw on the Mad Dog was nearly perfect and never burned hot. The smoke emitted had a very sweet and enjoyable aroma and thick clouds were produced throughout. Had the burn been straighter, this stick would have scored around a 1.8 on burn, soaring it to a 9.1 overall grade. So, if burn issues don’t bother you, this is a high scorer!

Flavor, 2.8:
The Mad Dog transitioned exceptionally well; beginning with strong notes of pepper, by the second third the stick had mellowed out into a very sweet and smooth tasting cigar. The sweetness was complemented by a leathery taste that was very enjoyable to the palette. Great complexity, consistency, and flavor, the Mad Dog is a winner in the flavor category. There was also some noticeable body to this medium-full stick, which made the experience nice and relaxing.

Overall, 2.7:
At just under $6 a stick, I’d say this is a solid value. In fact, I would consider buying a box of these at the current price point of $114.99 per 20. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this cigar, even with the burn issues. The great flavor profile and beautiful appearance prevented me from being totally distracted by the required touch-ups. As I said earlier, had the burn on this stick been better, we’d be looking at a score into the low 9s. Thanks to Tex Cigars for providing this excellent House Blend.

(Total: 8.8)
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