Cigar Review: Buena Vista Reserva 2008 Prominente

Buena Vista is back. After a short stint in the U.S. market in 2011, the brand disappeared due to “circumstances beyond the manufacturer’s control,” according to a press release from MGM Cigars, which now controls Buena Vista. But the brand’s reintroduction was officially declared on June 19, backed by 200,000 cigars that had been carefully stored as they patiently awaited their opportunity to be sold and smoked.

“The MGM Cigars project and first brand, Buena Vista, was nothing more than a dream in 2009. It quickly caught flight, only to be put to bed for a short while. I am thankful to have relocated to the United States where I am free to forge ahead with our project,” said José E. Borges Batista, founding partner and current president of MGM. “We look forward to re-introducing the Buena Vista brand, which pays homage to all who, through music and from one generation to another, have kept the Cuban traditions, values, and joie de vivre alive.”

The Buena Vista Reserva 2008 blend consists of a Habano ’98 wrapper from Ecuador around Dominican filler tobaccos that had been aged between 2008 and 2010 before they were rolled into cigars for the original 2011 release. Nine vitolas are available: Prominente (7 x 49), Sublime (6.3 x 54), Piramide (6.3 x 52), Doble Robusto (5.5 x 52), Robusto (5.3 x 54), Corona Larga (4.8 x 50), Corona (5.1 x 46), Petit Pyramid (4.9 x 52), and Short Churchill (4.3 x 54).

The Churchill-sized Prominente retails for $10 and, like its brethren, sports double bands of black, dark red, and chrome. It has an incredibly oily exterior with three or four prominent veins dividing an otherwise smooth surface. The pre-light notes are of subtle leather and earth, and the cold draw is moderate to moderately resistant.

The blend is marketed as a “well-balanced cigar of medium strength” that has benefited from ample aging in cedar conditioning rooms. My single sample, which was provided free of charge by Buena Vista, starts with a medium-bodied profile of red pepper, mushroom, roasted nut, and cream. On the aftertaste, a spicy heat lingers on the tip of the tongue.

As the Prominente progresses, the smoke seems to become less spicy and more creamy, with some caramel notes becoming prominent. In the final third, the overall intensity increases slightly, but the Churchill remains solidly in the medium-bodied spectrum. All the while, the physical properties are good, including a draw that opens beyond the first third, a straight burn line, and a solid gray ash.

Overall, this is an impressive cigar, and one to put on your radar if you’re looking for something off the beaten path. For its complexity and depth of flavor, the Buena Vista Reserva 2008 Prominente earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys