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Quick Smoke: Dona Flor Reserva Especial Robusto

26 Jan 2013

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Dona Flor Reserva Especial Robusto

I’ve been a fan of Dona Flor since I was introduced to the Brazilian company’s cigars in 2006. More recently, when Dona Flor re-launched in the U.S. market this summer, I enjoyed reviewing the Puro Mata Fina and Seleção lines, both of which I liked. The Reserva Especial is another good blend with solid flavors of tea, earth, chocolate, and leather. But I find the Robusto (5 x 52) has occasional stale notes and some burn issues, so I can’t fully endorse the smoke—especially since it retails for $12.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

2 Responses to “Quick Smoke: Dona Flor Reserva Especial Robusto”

  1. Swede214 Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 10:04 pm #

    Thanks for the review, I like your honesty.

  2. Zen Cigar Monday, July 8, 2013 at 3:21 pm #

    The Dona Flors are not pretty to look at. Most Brazilian wrappers are kinda ugly. It’s dark brown with lots of bumpy veins.

    However, when lit, it’s a tasty and interesting cigar.

    There is a taste to Brazilian tobacco that is reminiscent of Mexican tobacco, only it actually tastes good. It’s earthy, but a different kind of earthiness. It’s medium-bodied, mild-medium in strength with a lot of the earthiness I mentioned and some leather and cream. There is also a weird funkiness to the finish that is unique.

    The draw was different as well. It went from an easy draw to a tight draw back to an easy draw. It also canoed early on and was generally burning unevenly throughout the entire smoke.

    These are definitely worth a try as they are a unique cigar, but the construction issues and the price tag make it a little hard to justify.