Cigar Review: Debonaire Maduro Sagita

Debonaire first got on my radar about two years ago when Drew Estate announced it had entered an agreement to become the exclusive distributor of Debonaire and (sister brand) Indian Motorcycle cigars. Both are produced in the Dominican Republic for longtime industry veteran Phillip S. Zanghi III and Daniel Sinclair, founder of Durfort Holdings, a manufacturer of pipe tobacco, cut rag, and machine cigars.

Of the partnership, Jonathan Drew had this to say: “Phil Zanghi has been a dear personal friend of mine for two decades. When I permanently moved to Nicaragua in 1998, I wasn’t speaking no fancy languages like Spanish, so Phil helped keep me sane, as we scuttled back and forth between Nica and Honduras. He’s been a psychological and spiritual Drew Estate booster from our beginnings.”

Now Zanghi is a booster for his own portfolio of cigars, bolstered by Drew Estate’s extensive distribution network. “Debonaire is the culmination of 20 years of research and development to produce the finest premium cigar on the market today,” reads the Debonaire website. “We incorporated the finest, darkest, air-cured tobacco from the most superior tobacco crops of Central America and the Dominican Republic… We are highly critical of every aspect of production to ensure an exceptional experience.”

Along with the Connecticut Shade-wrapped Daybreak and Nicaraguan-wrapped Habano, Maduro is one of three lines in Debonaire’s Ultra Premium collection. It sports a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, a San Vicente binder from the Dominican Republic, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Six vitolas are available, including the petit lancero-sized Sagita (5.5 x 38).

Sagitta is Latin for “arrow”—a fitting name since the size reminds Zanghi “of an arrow and what the arrow represents in an archer’s quiver.” During production, Zanghi elected to drop a “t” as a celebration of how the word was being spelled by his colleagues in the Dominican Republic.

This oily, moderately spongy, incredibly dark cigar is accented by a pigtail cap and an intricate band of gold, black, white, and brown. At the foot, I find pre-light notes of dark chocolate and green raisin. The cap clips cleanly to reveal an airy cold draw.

After an even light is established—a feat that shouldn’t take more than a single wooden match, given the small ring gauge—I am greeted by an introductory profile of black coffee, warm tobacco, sweet cream, and a bit of cherry. Attentive smokers may also find some white pepper and a gentle cayenne heat in the background. As the Sagita progresses towards the midway point, the body transitions from medium to full and the taste shifts toward espresso, roasted cashew, and black pepper spice. The finale is extremely full-bodied with even more black pepper.

In terms of construction, the petit lancero performs well. The burn line is straight, the gray ash holds solidly off the foot, the draw is clear throughout, and the smoke production is about average. Total smoking time is about 60 minutes if you take your time.

I wish more blends came in a petit lanerco size. This is a fantastic format. The smoke is rich and concentrated, and the length ensures a completion before the flavor wears out its welcome.

Expect to pay about $9 for the Debonaire Maduro Sagita, and expect to be satisfied and impressed. In my book, this cigar earns an admirable rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys