Stogie Reviews: Wango Tango Biggie
30 Sep 2008
The name for this cigar line, says company chief Darryl Lieser, “was conceived as something that was fun, edgy, and reminiscent of the good times we had when we were in high school and college.†And this vitola—aptly named at 6.5 inches in length with a ring gauge of 54—would undoubtedly last a long way into a Friday night fraternity party.
It’s one of two new blends from Isla de Cuba, though unlike the Blend 376, the simple silver Wango Tango band carries nothing to identify it with the company. One promotion to introduce it for the October rollout, according to Lieser, will be a four-pack sampler with all three lines that sells for under $10.
Lieser, whose initial Isla de Cuba was inspired by a pre-revolution Cuban Montecristo No. 3, said he was trying to achieve a medium- to full-bodied smoke with the Wango Tango. (The Tampa-based manufacturer launched in February with Classic and Aged Maduro blends.)
“It was inspired by the unique blending process of super-premium distilled spirits, by using the finest, small batch tobacco harvests available,†Lieser wrote in an email. While the wrapper and binder are Connecticut broadleaf, the company identifies the filler only as a proprietary blend from four countries. In addition to the Biggie, which lists for $6.95, Wango Tango comes in one longer and two shorter sizes that range in price from $5.95 to $7.25.
I found the construction to be excellent, with an interesting white ash and a good burn. That last point is important with a cigar this large because it lasts so long you’re almost certain to have to set it down a few times for one reason or another.
The most prominent taste was leather, with a little sweetness edging in at about the halfway point. Strength increased a bit in the final third, and I found that to be the most enjoyable part of the cigar. As with most large cigars I’ve smoked, it was a little difficult to stay interested from start to finish. Ultimately, though, the Wango Tango Biggie earns a solid rating of three and a half stogies out of five.
[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]
photo credit: Stogie Guys
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
Love the name! 4 countries just for the filler eh? Interesting, but I guess that's one way how up and coming brands nowadays try to differentiate themselves from one another, before hopefully finding themselves and settling themselves down "properly".
I'm also glad to see a non-pretentious new band, what with the slightly ridiculous trend of bastardizing the icons of the cigar world(dopey-up naked women, prancing horses in heaven etc). Tatuaje is another young gun that did it right. When in doubt, just keep it simple.
I encourage everyone to google the lyrics to "wango tango" by rocker Ted Nugent. If this cigar is an reflection of the images he conjures up in that song I'll be buying them by the boxful.
Wango Tango, baby.
For the record, I think I enjoyed this cigar significantly more than George E. I found it to be complex with a predominant taste of spicy cocoa. A four-pack sampler with all three lines that sells for under $10 would be a great deal.