Stogie Reviews: El Rey del Mundo Petit Corona (Cuban)

24 Sep 2007

After a couple less-than-thrilling Habanos in the form of a Partagas Serie D and a Romeo y Julieta Exhibición, I was hoping to find a Cuban that would live up to its expectations. I decided to try my luck with an El Rey del Mundo.

For those of you who don’t habla Español, the brand’s name literally means “king of the world.” (How’s that for expectations?) It dates back to 1848 when Antonio Allones – no relation to Ramón – established a tobacco business in Havana. At one time, El Rey del Mundo was the most prestigious and expensive stogie in the world.

These days, the brand is manufactured by Habanos S.A. and advertised to “discriminating” smokers as a woody, leathery stick with a fresh, herbal bouquet.

The Petit Cornona is five inches with a 42 ring gauge, and can be found for as little as $5.70 or as much as $9 apiece. Its appearance is both rustic, with coarse veins and prominent seams, and regal, with a medieval red and gold band.

The preliminary taste is superbly pleasing as heavy notes of roasted coffee and leather dominate. Soft and doughy to the touch, each puff seems to produce just the right amount of earthy smoke. A black pepper spice is quick to join the flavor profile and builds nicely to the midway point.

Some sweet notes would do the cigar good, if only to balance out its woody, spicy taste. I’d recommend pairing this Cuban with a sugary drink, like some El Dorado rum. Even so, this is a wonderful smoke, especially if you take your time.

On construction, the burn is fairly even (but by no means perfect), the draw is loose and clear, and the ash can fall off unexpectedly.

When you get right down to it, this particular stick is a great deal for under $6 and overpriced at $9. Either way, you’ll get a terrific medium-bodied taste in a relatively quick format. I give the El Rey del Mundo Petit Corona four out of five stogies.