Stogie Reviews: La Caridad del Cobre La Charada No. 64

The story of La Caridad del Cobre is one of collaboration, persistence, and trademark law. It’s also one of good tobacco, as evidenced by my colleague’s review of the boutique manufacturer’s inaugural blend.

This year, company founder and intellectual property attorney Frank Herrera launched a new extension of his young brand. It’s called “La Charada” (Spanish for “the charade”).

The concept is derived from the old Cuban lotto system, in which players would choose numbers that corresponded to objects from their dreams. Each of the seven La Charada vitolas is named and numbered accordingly.

The ominously named “Muerto Grande” measures seven inches with a ring gauge of 54. When I asked Herrera why he chose such an intimidating size, he said “because torpedos are bad ass. So bigger torpedos are bigger bad asses.” Fair enough.

Along with the three other maduro sizes in the La Charada portfolio, the No. 64 boasts a toothy Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper leaf with binder and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic. Made under the direction of Luis Sanchez at La Tradicion Cubana, this immense torpedo is fairly soft in the hand with thin veins and a pre-light aroma of rich syrup and spice.

Clipping the tip of the sharp cap reveals a moderate draw. Once lit, the cigar tastes of heavy leather, sour cream, and espresso with a peppery spice on the finish. The bountiful resting smoke is aromatic and cocoa-like.

As the draw opens beyond the midway point, the profile takes on creamier characteristics—a nice, welcome change that adds complexity and depth. The combustion qualities include a white, sandy ash that holds well off the foot and a fairly straight burn that requires a few touch-ups along the way.

This is a smooth, medium-bodied cigar that’s a joy to smoke if you have a lot of time on your hands. While straightforward and fairly consistent, I never lost interest in what it has to offer.

And its $7 price tag means you get a lot of tobacco for your money. I look forward to trying the three Ecuadorian Sumatra-wrapped “natural” vitolas in the La Charada blend. Meanwhile, this “bad ass” cigar earns three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys