Cigar Review: MBombay KẽSara Robusto Larga

MBombay has made quite an impression with high-end cigars produced in small numbers at a factory in Costa Rica, interesting packaging, and the use of Peruvian tobacco.

The KẽSara line (yes, that’s how it’s spelled) bears all of those hallmarks and a few of its own distinguishing features. The cap sports a short pigtail on a deep cap, while the foot is unfinished. The Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper is folded over the Dominican and Peruvian filler. The binder is also Ecuadorian, with no specifics released.

Mel Shah, owner of an upscale cigar and wine lounge in Palm Springs, California, is the man behind the company, Bombay Tobak.

The Robusto Larga is a 4.5-inch stick with a 54-ring gauge and an MSPR of $14.50. It comes packaged in canisters rather than traditional boxes. And, as with other MBombay lines, the traditional cigar band is covered by a large over-band featuring colorful Indian designs.

The light brown wrapper appears somewhat dry, with few veins and a sweet pre-burn aroma. Draw, burn, and smoke production were excellent in the three I smoked, all of which were provided by MBombay.

There’s a bit of sharpness in the first inch or so, which evens out soon after. Peruvian tobacco is often said to have a touch of bitterness in addition to body, which might account for that initial bite. Overall, strength was in the medium range.

The KẽSara burns slowly and lasts longer than might be expected from such a short cigar. Along the way, I experienced a variety of flavors—many very subtle and sometimes fleeting—especially in the final third, when sweetness comes fully to the fore.

With production at rather low levels and the number of retailers carrying MBombay also fairly limited, these won’t be the easiest cigars to find. But they are worth seeking out, offering, as they do, a flavor profile that stands out.

I give the short, plump KẽSara Robusto Larga three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys