Quick Smoke: REO Robusto

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

I remember smoking REO and Vibe 15 years ago, shortly after the two were introduced by EO Brands (before EO teamed up with Don José “Pepin” Garcia for its 601 line). REO is short for the blend’s original collaborators: Rocky Patel, Erik Espinosa, and Eddie Ortega. Later, after EO was split between its founders, the REO mark (along with Vibe and Cubao) became Ortega’s, who brought back REO a couple years ago as a bundle offering. The cigar features an oily Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper around Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos. After fruit notes pre-light, the cigar reveals medium-bodied tastes of oak, black coffee, and sweet earth. With adequate construction and a most approachable price (bundles of 20 Robustos sell for around $2 per cigar), it’s perfect for budget-conscious cigar smokers.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys