Stogie Reviews: Cupido Criollo Commemorative

7 Aug 2008

In March I gave the Cupido Criollo Corto a well-deserved, glowing review as “one of the best sub-$3 cigar experiences I’ve ever had.” I’ve gone through plenty more since then because of the Corto’s delicious taste, excellent construction, bargain price, and short format.

The Commemorative vitola boasts the same blend of tobaccos—a criollo wrapper and Cuban-seed habano long leaf binders and fillers—in a larger, 5 inch by 54 ring gauge layout. Also a Nicaraguan puro from the Cupido Vegas field of Estelí, Cuban Crafters produces only 9,000 individually numbered boxes of 25 annually for under $70 each.

These smooth, oily, relatively dark criollos are box-pressed and sold as heady, deep cigars that are naturally sweet, spicy, and creamy. Take a few moments to enjoy the dark cocoa notes before striking the first match.

I’m convinced, by the way, that wooden matches are the ideal way to light cigars like the Corto and the Commemorative. The tiny foot makes it easy to establish an even light, and torch-brandishers will have a tendency to ignite more tobacco than necessary, a mistake that’s prone to ruining burns.

One drawback of this cigar’s unique shape is the tight draw you’ll experience on the first few puffs. Don’t worry; everything opens up nicely after a few patient minutes with lots of spice and a dry, woody taste. After the first inch or so the flavor begins to resemble black coffee and roasted nuts. I think seasoned cigar veterans will really enjoy this full-bodied (albeit one-sided) phase and noting how it smoothly transitions into a more balanced, floral taste in the last two inches.

I found few physical imperfections across the seven Commemoratives I smoked for this review. Expect a fairly stable ash and a burn that requires a few touch-ups here and there.

The Commemorative may not rate as exceptionally well as the Corto viotla in my book—namely due to the Corto’s virtually perfect combustion qualities—but it’s still another fine, under-priced smoke from the makers of Stogie Guys favorites like J.L. Salazar, Don Kiki (Brown and White), La Carolina, Cabinet Selection, and Cameroon. I give the Cupido Criollo Commemorative four stogies out of five.