Stogie Reviews: Cupido Criollo Corto
Thursday, March 13th, 2008Finding wonderfully blended and constructed cigars that won’t put a dent in your budget is a top priority for me. That’s why it gives me such pleasure to review the Cupido Criollo.
Like J.L. Salazar, Don Kiki (Brown and White), La Carolina, Cabinet Selection, and Cameroon, this is another fine, under-priced Cuban Crafters product from the fields of Estelí. It is made with a criollo wrapper and Cuban-seed habano long leaf binders and fillers.
The Corto vitola sports a unique perfecto shape with a slight box press, and measures four and ½ inches with a 56 ring gauge at its widest point. With a metallic, Valentine-inspired band, a near flawless wrapper, and a distinctive form, this is the kind of gorgeous cigar that makes you really appreciate the fine art of rolling tobacco.
Establishing an even light is as easy as touching a flame to the tiny foot. I am immediately greeted with rich coffee and wood flavors and a smooth, nicely rounded spice.
At its widest girth, the flavor is well-balanced and medium-bodied with a slightly bitter finish. It picks up down the narrow stretch, but never becomes harsh or hot. The smoke is cool, abundant, and floral.
The physical properties are also impressive. It is a great joy to watch the firm, finely layered ash build off the foot in the cigar’s unique shape – I only ashed once during the 45-minute smoke. The burn starts and remains fairly even to the nub, and it stays lit even when left neglected. The band removes easily and without incident.
These flavor and construction characteristics were completely consistent for the six Cortos I smoked for this review. Amazing, especially since they sell at the low price of $65 for an individually numbered box of 25 ($2.60 per stick). Only 9,000 boxes are manufactured each year.
I am convinced this is one of the best sub-$3 cigar experiences I’ve ever had. If you like criollo tobacco and don’t have a lot of time, this should be your new everyday smoke. I give the Cupido Criollo Corto four and ½ out of five stogies.
[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. To purchase this cigar from a StogieGuys.com affiliate, click here.]
photo credit: Stogie Guys
I bought a box of the Kiki Brown Labels on your recommendation, and they were simply fantastic — exactly as you described. Sounds like I need to make a Cupido purchase…
I think the secret is out that great cigars can be had for under $5 apiece, and I hope the industry at large begins to take notice. I, too, bought a box of Don Kiki Brown Labels at your recommendation, and was not disappointed with my purchase. If the Cupido is anything like the DK Brown Label, it may have to be my next box buy.
It’s getting harder and harder to justify spending $100+ on a box of premium cigars these days when such compelling, infinitely less expensive sticks are out there.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with the Cuban Crafters customer service department. They’re polite, helpful, and proactive. (In my case, I’d ordered a box of DK Browns off their website and made a few typos in my shipping address; I got a call from Cuban Crafters about 20 minutes after placing my order, just to make sure my address was actually what they thought it was).
These are great people making great product. And no, I’m not on the Cuban Crafters payroll.
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I learned today that the Cupido Criollo Corto earned a whopping 9.3 in the upcoming (Spring 2008) issue of Smoke Magazine.
[...] like Cupido, La Carolina, J.L. Salazar, and Don Kiki – both Brown and White – the Cameroon Toro is made by [...]