In Our Memory Of: Vegas Robaina Clasico

Friday, November 11th, 2011

A brand that will take a big hit after the 2012 deletions is Vegas Robaina, as two out of the five cigars in their portfolio are due to be axed. One of them is the Clasico, a Lonsdale that was released when the marca was born in 1997. In a brand that is characterized by its strong, old school, flavour profile, the Clasico is considered the mildest of all Vegas Robaina cigars.

I reviewed the Clasico last December, during the Lonsdales review series and I although i found it good, I wasn’t overly impressed. Tonight I am hoping that this Clasico will not let me down…

Appearance 13 / 15

The Clasico is a well constructed cigar with a light brown, dry wrapper, that has some veins but no imperfections. The bunch is firm and consistent and the triple cap is rounded and well applied. Rich floral aromas are present on the food of the cigar and the prelight draw is good, slightly tight.

Flavour & Body 21 / 25

Rich, creamy flavours are unveiled from the first draw; herbs and nuts are prominent, while the finish is dry and salty. Some chocolate and wood can also be seen on the background. The body is medium and remains at this level in the second third, and while the cigar gets more complex. Pepper, earth, wood, herbs and nuts are all in perfect harmony, with a little ammonia on the finish, something common in young Robainas. So far the Clasico smokes really well! On the beginning of the last third the Clasico starts to calm down, and becomes nasty very quickly, losing most of its flavours and becomes hot and harsh. Spices and toasted tobacco are the only flavours that can be identified and the cigar cant really show anything else. Its a pity, as the cigar was evolving greatly…

Draw & Burn 20 / 25

Although the cigar felt a bit tight, the draw is perfect. The Clasico delivers plenty of smoke that has a thick, chewy texture. The burn is even and consistent at least on the first half, and the ash is dark grey in colour, flaky, and falls off every half inch. On the last third the burn problems start; the cigar keeps going out and the continuous relighting affect its flavours so much that it is put to rest early.

Overall 31 / 35

The Clasico showed some promise in the beginning. Although not too strong, its flavours were very enjoyable and it had that bit of magic that only Cubans can put in their cigars; the continuous evolution, with the cigar getting a stronger puff after puff and its flavours altering continuously. But on the last third it all went downhill; keeping the cigar lit was a struggle and re-lighting so often made it taste like charcoal. Construction issues, a bad leaf? Whatever it was, it prevented this cigar from scoring in the 90’s!

TOTAL 85 / 100

Verdict: Although my two documented experiences of this cigar were not great, i have enjoyed some of them and I have seen what this cigar can do. If you are a fan of long and thin cigars, then you should definately put some on the side for about 5 years. If you like thicker ring gauges and milder flavours, then you might give this one a miss…