Someone asked on about this stick in a recent thread, so I thought I'd pull one out and give it the once over for the community. This is my go to daily. Hands down one of the best cheap smokes I've found. This is also my first SA.com review so please go easy on me! lol
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Cigar: Cuba Libre One by Nestor Plasencia Jr.
Size: Robusto (5x52)
Filler: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan and Honduran ligero long leaf
Binder: Two Habano binders, one from Costa Rica and the other from Nicaragua
Wrapper: Cuban-seed Habano ligero wrapper
Price: Box of 20/ $49.99 @ cigar.com or $59.99 @ CI.com
Pre-Light:
The stick is super rich in color and in oil coverage. Very heavy in the hand, and is very firm. The band is attractive, but understated in blue and silver. The wrapper smells of sweet honey suckle and tobacco. The foot aroma is of freshly cut hay and earth.
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Toast: 1:40pm
Lighting: The first three puffs are of very dry tobacco with a very faint spice. The tobacco flavor is close to a Saint Luis Rey in character, but these flavors quickly give way to a much more intesnse espresso note in the 5-10 puffs. More spice begins to build as does a hint of wood. Unlike sticks like Cain and other full flavor spicy smokes, this one you only feel the spice on the sides of the tongue and in the back of the throat. It is a very nice warming sensation.
1/3rd: Hints of raisin and dry cocoa start to pop their heads in here and there, but neither make themselves very known. The puff that you get in between the two is the best flavor of all. It's like you just finished off a spicy meal, and are now having raisin bread with a chocolate powder coating. Very yummy. Not as raisiny as say an AF Anejo, but its there for sure. The spice is starting to make it's way up front now. 1 in of ash holding on tight. Sweetness picks up now, as does a caramel finish on the retro hale. Spice is still kicking, but its now a tasty sweet and spicy COMBO! This cigar produces large clouds of smoke. For how tightly it is rolled, it draws absolutely perfect.
Slightly angular burn, but nothing to worry about. Here comes more spice. Now we are getting somewhere! The flavors are now very Liga Privada-esque at this point in my opinion. Very prominant sweet leather, cedar, loads of smokey spice, and huge clouds of smoke.
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2/3rd: I tap the ash at the 2 in mark as to not make a mess. Starting to get a bead of sweat on my upper lip from the spice/nicotine combo. This is a bomb. I'm at nearly the halfway point but the flavors are just continuing to build and become more layered and complex unlike other stogies I've had where the flavors fade in and out. Leather is becoming much more noticeable, as the chocolate has finally subsided for the time being. The raisin flavor has popped its head back in at what looks to be the 50% mark.
*wipes the sweat from his lip and nose*
Final 3rd: The body of the smoke has picked up considerably. I'm having to rest the smoke in between puffs for about a minute just to keep from getting a nic OD! This smoke is not for the faint of heart. The burn has self corrected to even, and is still drawing perfectly. Getting that nico-knot in my throat. I'll know if I need to grab the sugar if I start getting the hiccups. LOL
Flavors are still in the same range they were from the 50% mark. A chewy, complex blend of leather, wood, loads of spice, and a hint of raisin. back of the tongue is getting some cinnamon spice. Just about done with the stick, and the clock says 2:51. Not bad on time.
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Overall Thoughts: One of the best bang for the buck found ANYWHERE. I would happily pay $150 a box for these cigars, but fortunately we don't have to. Would I buy again? As soon as I'm out (just got a box of toro's and a box of robusto's).
Wish I could add more pics, but I'm limited to 5.
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:-):-)