Stogie Reviews: Serafin de Cuba Robusto
7 Dec 2009
A few weeks ago, I spent a pleasant evening at Arnold Serafin’s cigar shop smoking and chatting. One of the sticks I enjoyed was Arnold’s eponymous production. I left with several others, thinking I could give them a more objective evaluation in another setting. I don’t know about you, but I usually find that when I’m having a good time, every cigar seems just a bit better.
So, I’ve now smoked several Serafin de Cubas in various sizes. With Ecuadorian wrappers around a mix of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos, which Arnold told me he purchases from Oliva Tobacco in Tampa, these are well-crafted cigars rolled on site. They produce a ton of smoke and burn evenly.
While not particularly complex, they do offer changes from head to foot, with a little grass, nuts, and a buttery smoothness on the finish. As with many cigars, I favored the Robusto vitola, but not by a lot. I was reminded a little of one of Stogie Guys’ favorite house blends, Ybor City Handmades, though each is a distinctive smoke.
If you happen to be in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, you can stop by Arnold’s shop in Tarpon Springs. (And I noticed on his recently revamped website that he’s added a spot to the north in Spring Hill, Florida.) Stop by on the weekend and you can usually pick up a Serafin de Cuba freshly rolled by the Cuban roller who produces these cigars. But if you can’t make it down this way, call Arnold and he’ll personally take care of you.
These cigars are value priced: Six of the seven sizes come in bundles of 25 for $100, with the seventh, a 6.5-inch by 54 ring gauge “Giant Torpedo,†going for $25 more.
If you like milder cigars, want some quality sticks on hand for the occasional smoker who stops by, or simply desire the experience of a truly small-batch smoke, give these a try. I know I need to get back up the street and buy more from Arnold. I give his cigar, the Serafin de Cuba Robusto, a rating of four 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
Awesome. Definitely a great way to get a good cigar at a good price. I’ve also found that talking with shop owners who have made their own blends to be very informative.
You make an excellent point – when you're enjoying a cigar in the company of others it always tastes better! I've had the same cigar, once with friends and again by myself, and I always enjoy it more when with others.