Back in December, I wrote that “when it comes to premium cigars from the forbidden island, Hoyo de Monterrey generally takes a backseat to more familiar brands like Cohiba and Montecristo.” I certainly think that’s true, but Vegas Robaina is even easier to overlook than Hoyo (Habanos S.A. lists it as “multilocal” as opposed to a “global”).

Perhaps that’s because the brand is relatively new. While most Habanos have been around for many decades, Vegas Robaina was introduced in 1997 – first to Spain, then to the world that fall. The brand is named for Don Alejandro Robaina, a Cuban tobacco farmer who became famous in the Vuelta Abajo region for his ability to grow exemplary wrapper leaves.

The 4.88 inch by 50 ring gauge Famoso vitola retails for around $7 per stick in the U.S. Not surprisingly, the light, leathery wrapper is uniquely smooth and almost vein-free. The seams, however, are less than perfect – a characteristic that suggests greater care went into the cultivation of the leaf than the rolling of the tobacco.

Even so, the presentation is undoubtedly above average, and the subtle, pleasant sweetness the wrapper immediately adds to the lips makes the cigar all the more enticing.

What I found after toasting the foot surprised me: a dry and spicy kick with an aroma more agreeable than the taste. Earthy seasonings of clove and ginger join in quickly to add depth, and a faint mushroom flavor comes and goes.

Still, the salty spice is overwhelmingly predominant, and the cigar seems to get drier as it progresses. Some citrus notes would have balanced the flavor profile and cancelled out a bit of the saltiness.

I smoked two Famosos for this review and I found burns that were either straight or self-correcting, draws that were neither too easy nor too difficult, and ashes that became unstable after one inch.

While this is one of the more affordable Habanos, the bottom line is I think you’re better off spending a little more for a better smoke. This cigar is fairly pleasing with decent construction, but it’s a little boring and way too salty on the palate. That’s why I’m giving the Vegas Robaina Famoso three out of five stogies.

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

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys