The Lonsdales of Christmas, Day 4 - Vegas Robaina Clasicos

Monday, December 27th, 2010

Monday morning, 2 days after Christmas, and it’s back to reality and the weekday routine. The rain overnight has cleared every bit of snow outside and I was surprised to see my garden looking green again! A little look through the remaining lonsdales and I ‘ve made my choice for today’s smoke. The Vegas Robaina Clasico.

The Clasico is a Cervante measuring 6.5″ in length by 42 ring gauge and it is one of the 5 cigars in regular production. It was released in 1997, along with all the vitolas of the brand and it has been since one of the most popular Lonsdales, following the typical Robaina flavour profile. I have smoked this cigar in a couple of occasions and I have found it very pleasant. Lets light this one up for a more in depth analysis.

Appearance 13 / 15

The Vegas Robaina Clasicos is a well constructed cigar. The wrapper is honey-brown, with a smooth and oily texture. The veins are minimal but some wrinkles are present. The bunch is firm and the pre-light draw is good. Sweet, floral aromas are present of the foot of the cigar.

Flavour & Body 21 / 25

The Clasico starts with a mild to medium body and a distinctive sweet bunch of flavours, with chocolate, honey, vanilla and some notes of grass and cedar. Smooth and balanced, the first part is very enjoyable, but the flavours are a little shallow. On the second third the cigar draws better and as a result, the flavours are stronger. The body is medium now and the cigar maintains its sweet profile. Dark chocolate, coffee and honey, with a warm and spicy long finish. The Clasico is very pleasant and easy to smoke. On the last third the cigar changes very little, maintaining its sweet flavours and the long spicy finish. The flavours are almost identical to the second third and the cigar smokes well until the very end, without getting hot or harsh.

Draw & Burn 22 / 25

The draw is a little tight on the beginning, holding the flavours from developing. However on the second third the cigar opens up and draws very well. The burn is good and consistent all the way through, producing a good amount of smoke with a thick and creamy texture. The ash is light grey in colour and reaches an inch in length before falling off.

Overall 32 / 35

The Vegas Robaina Clasico is a pleasant smoke, a good choice if you are not into a full bodied cigar. Not overly complex, but with good balance and depth, it is not a cigar that will require a lot of attention and will not get you overwhelmed with its flavours. It will however keep you good company with its interesting sweet palate and its creamy texture. There is a lot of aging potential in this cigar, I am sure that with 10 years of age this cigar will be a lot more refined.