Cigars.ie

In Our Memory Of: Trinidad Robusto T

It was about this time two years ago when I received my first Trinidad Robusto T. This cigar was released earlier on that year to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the brand as well as the 10th anniversary from the year Trinidad went commercial . Being a Trinidad fan, I could not wait and blazed it. I was amazed with its smoothness and creaminess; the cigar with the closest flavour to my favourite Robusto, the Cohiba Robusto.

Despite its high pricetag, the cigar became a success. It kept getting great reviews amongst the cigar afficionados worldwide, with James Suckling being one of them, naming it his Cigar Of the Year for 2010. On my first review on Christmas of 2009, I rated with 93 points. On August this year the news broke out… Rob Ayala was the first to reveal that the Trinidad Robusto T was on the deletion list for 2012, 3 years after its original release. It will make you wonder why… Bad feedback? I wouldnt think so… Low sales volume? Maybe, yes… But then, when you consider that it is the second most expensive robusto on the market, behind the Cohiba, it is easy to see why it didn’t sell as expected. But anyway, it is time to blaze this one up and see if it smokes as good as it did two years ago.

Appearance 14 /15

Like all Trinidads, the presentation of this Robusto T is immaculate. The wrapper is smooth and shiny with very little veins and no imperfections. The bunch is good, with a little bit of “give”, a couple of softer spots and a perfect pigtail. The scent of the cigar is gorgeous, with aromas of earth and flower being noticeable even without the cigar stuck on your nostrills! The cold draw is very loose and I am hoping that this will not affect its burn.

Flavour & Body 23/ 25

The Robusto T has a lovely sweet and fresh profile from the first draw. Caramel and chocolate from the start with some notes of earth, coffee and a little wood on the finish. This cigar has the lovely creamy texture that you can find in Trinidads, as well as the medium body. The loose draw and the clouds of smoke do not affect its taste, which is just gorgeous. I’m in the second third and I am still loving this… The cigar has now become a little richer, with the woody flavours giving it a little twang, while  the sweetness and creaminess still dominate. Due to some burn issues on the last third, the cigar gets a little bitter, without however becoming unpleasant or overwhelming. The body is medium until the end, and the woody flavours become more cedary, making it a little spicy, with some added grass.

Draw & Burn 23/25

The cigar is a little looser to what I would have preferred, which results in it burning a little too quick and producing clouds of thick smoke. This does not affect the cigar’s body or flavour though. The burn is good and it is only on the last third that it goes off a couple of times, giving the cigar a slight bitterness. The ash is thick and grey in colour, reaching almost an inch in length before falling off

Overall 32/35

It is the second time I am reviewing the Trinidad Robusto T in this blog and I have smoked it on several occasions. I can honestly say that I have never had one I did not enjoy. Its construction is always immaculate and the tobacco used in its production is of the best grade; you cant go wrong with that! It is a medium smoke, with rich and complex flavours and a divine creamy finish. A cigar that you can be enjoyed in any occasion and will be appreciated by a smoker of any level. The one I smoked today had some burn issues, which were a result of the bunch being a little loose. This took nothing out of the enjoyment though, and I scored the cigar with a total of 92 points.

TOTAL 92 /100

Verdict: This cigar had big problem that was never corrected throughout it’s short existence… It was priced wrong. Being the second most expensive robusto on the market, it already had a lot of distance to make up against other more established robustos in the market. So, that must have affected its sales volume… But is the wrong pricing strategy really a reason to take it off the market??? Unfortunately, the decision is made, so my recommendation is grab them now while they are still around. Its limited production and short existence are a guarantee that they wont be available for much longer…