Stogie Guys Free Newsletter

Subscribe today for a chance to win great cigar prizes:


Presented by:

Stogie Reviews: Château Real Belicoso Favorita

28 Nov 2007

From Drew Estate, purveyor of the Acid, Sauza, and Kahlúa lines, comes Château Real, a real old-school Havana that the manufacturer calls “the new standard by which all other mild, traditional cigars will be judged.”

Château Real Belicoso Favorita1The building blocks of the series include an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper, a Mexican San Andreas Negro Oscuro binder, and Nicaraguan Criollo and Dominican Piloto Cubano long-fillers.

The Belicoso Favorita is six inches with a 50 ring gauge, and it retails in the $6 to $8 range. It is a golden, almost candela-tinted brown with a few wrinkles at the seams that provide some nostalgia and whimsy. The red and gold double band is simple and understated, but there’s more than meets the eye.

On the flip side of the top band you’ll find an inscription that directs smokers to the Drew Estate website under the heading of “The Rebirth of Cigars.” I find this advertising technique to be creative, and I’m surprised more manufacturers haven’t adopted the approach.

As I toasted the foot with a few wooden matches, I found a wonderful aroma of toast and hay. Thereafter, the first few puffs set the tone with a warm, buttery flavor. The creamy smoke reminds me of one of my favorite bargain cigars: the Ybor City Handmade.

Another familiar taste is also present, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. It’s dry, hollow, and a little spicy. Contrary to my predictions, the spice doesn’t pick up into the final third, keeping the Château Real soft and mild for the full hour.

Doughy to the touch, this stogie sports a fairly even burn and a clear draw. The ash, while holding firm at times, can fall off unexpectedly.

I don’t think I’m going out on a limb when I call this a real fine morning to mid-afternoon smoke. It successfully accomplishes what many cigars attempt: taste and complexity in a mild format. Still, it’s a bit overpriced, so I’m giving the Château Real Belicoso Favorita three out of five stogies.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

6 Responses to “Stogie Reviews: Château Real Belicoso Favorita”

  1. Tucker Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 9:01 am #

    Another great review and photo. Please keep 'em coming. Your Archived Reviews Page has become quite a resource.

Trackbacks and Pingbacks

  1. What is Everyone Smoking? December 1st Edition | Cigar Jack's Cigar Blog - Saturday, December 1, 2007

    […] Château Real Belicoso Favorita (Stogie Guys) […]

  2. Cigar Command » Saturday Smokin’ Summary - 12/1/07 - Sunday, December 2, 2007

    […] Chateau Real Belicoso Favorita – Stogie Guys […]

  3. Stogie Reviews: Château Real Belicoso Favorita - Wednesday, March 25, 2009

    […] A reviewed the Chateau Real a year and a half ago, and recently I’ve smoked a few of the various vitolas […]

  4. Stogie Reviews: Chateâu Real Maduro Gran Templar - Tuesday, July 28, 2009

    […] in mind, I decided to try out the Chateâu Real Maduro. I’d previously tried and enjoyed a Natural that features a Connecticut wrapper and creamy, mild […]

  5. Sunday Morning Cigar Talk – isn’t this Special Ladies! « My Blog - Friday, September 18, 2009

    […] Château Real Belicoso Favorita (Stogie Guys) […]