Stopwatch: Robusto

[Waah954]

I was driving and I seem to smoke a little quicker than usual.

37 Minutes


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[Akela3rd]

JLS2
Start time: 1600
End time: 1650
I picked this as it's the only Robusto in my desktop at the moment. I've had a couple of D4s over the last weeks and this makes for a change. My first impression was that it felt a little dry and indeed the draw was very light. Once lit the light, slightly floral character was at the forefront but yes, it was a bit dry for my tastes. The burn stayed sharp throughout.
Not a lot of development in flavours through the cigar but pleasant nonetheless. Towards the middle it got stronger with a bit of coffee and spice in the mix.
The light draw was definitely not to my liking - reminded me of a Drew Estate I had last year - but the taste was good, ending with a nice spicy tobacco and coffee mixed in with return of the floral hints it started with.
Generally good, but didn't last as long as a Robusto usually does IMHO.

Thunder & Lightening '75-'15

[skalls]

Well, the robusto kick continues with a JL Selection #2.

After the British Grand Prix.  Semi-boring race until the end, and man what an action packed ending.  Anyways, moved the hoses around and then fired up a breakfast cigar.

This one hails from ULE ABR14, and the box is almost empty.  Bloody tasty cigar.  Wrapper was a bit under a Colorado shade. Easy draw with a bit of resistance, Medium bodied, and an oily voluminous smoke.  And this one, unlike the other ones really took me on a journey.

First third was a sugary sweet and leather with hints of nuts.  Second third dropped the leather altogether, the sweetness amped up, and a tea note arose.  This is the only cigar that I've gotten the flavor of tea from.  Finally third dropped the sweetness and tee, nuts came to the forefront and the leather came back with a vengeance.

93/100.  I think this cigar has hit it's peak.  They aren't getting any worse but I just don't see how it's going to evolve much more beyond where it's at now.

The burn time shocked me though.  45 minutes.  Way under what I would've thought it'd be

. 

 

[BMWBen]

Cohiba Robusto MUO JUL 14 courtesy of @archosaur

 

Start time 1:19PM

 

 

Espresso bean, Hay/grass, light milk chocolate, tons of smoke and perfect construction. Chocolate dominating the retrohale

2:01

 

Espresso bean still making up most of the flavor profile

 

2:20

 

 

Flavor switching over to the chocolate that was strong on the retrohale at the beginning of the cigar with some toasted tobacco mixed in

 

2:36

 

 

Calling it here with the cigar getting a little hot/bitter with no added flavors in the retrohale, thank you again @archosaur this was my first CoRo and an awesome smoke!

 

Now time to swish some coconut oil and go for cigar #2

[Eternity]

PSD4

I started cigars this March after a friend gave me one on my wedding day so I won't be reviewing it... don't think my palate is experienced enough to discern all the flavors and transitions. I can only say whether it was an overall enjoyable smoke or not and this was very good .

Start time: 2:50pm

End time: 4:15pm

 

[ElJefe]

1 hour ago, BMWBen said:

Cohiba Robusto MUO JUL 14 courtesy of @archosaur

 

Start time 1:19PM

 

 

Espresso bean, Hay/grass, light milk chocolate, tons of smoke and perfect construction. Chocolate dominating the retrohale

2:01

 

Espresso bean still making up most of the flavor profile

 

2:20

 

 

Flavor switching over to the chocolate that was strong on the retrohale at the beginning of the cigar with some toasted tobacco mixed in

 

2:36

 

 

Calling it here with the cigar getting a little hot/bitter with no added flavors in the retrohale, thank you again @archosaur this was my first CoRo and an awesome smoke!

 

Now time to swish some coconut oil and go for cigar #2

What are you drinking there Brother? Looks like a fair number of mint leaves floating in there perhaps. A Mojito? You have me intrigued and I would love to hear the recipe. 

Aloha.

[BMWBen]

1 minute ago, ElJefe said:

What are you drinking there Brother? Looks like a fair number of mint leaves floating in there perhaps. A Mojito? You have me intrigued and I would love to hear the recipe. 

Aloha.

You are correct, right next to the tobacco plants I have some mint leaves growing so i've had some great mojitos this summer. I use Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron, Polar seltzer water, mint leaves, and squeeze a wedge of lime in, nothing fancy. I've tried with and without a small teaspoon of sugar but prefer them without the added sweetness. 

[ElJefe]

18 minutes ago, BMWBen said:

You are correct, right next to the tobacco plants I have some mint leaves growing so i've had some great mojitos this summer. I use Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron, Polar seltzer water, mint leaves, and squeeze a wedge of lime in, nothing fancy. I've tried with and without a small teaspoon of sugar but prefer them without the added sweetness. 

Right on!! Thank you. I'm a big fan of Mojitos and with the latest thread on "Mojitos: What is you recipe?" I'm adding yours to the must try list. 

 

[SignalJoe]

Diplomaticos Excelencia ER Cuba (SGA OCT 15) 

Start time: 3:06

End time: 4:11

Total: 1 hr 5 minutes  

There was a little more that could have been smoked, but the final third started to turn and I laid it down.  I was surprised to finish so close to the hour mark.  I think of a robusto as a 1.25 hour to an 1.5 hour smoke.  

Review: To my tastes Diplos have always tasted like shortbread with a hint of baking spice.  This Regional edition presented with those traditional Diplo flavors.  

1st third: Shortbread with creamy finish.  Medium body.  

2nd third: Shortbread and cream and undefined spice.   Increased strength to medium full.  

Final third: Prominent shortbread, stronger presence of spice.  Turned bitter as I approached the nub and the cigar was allowed to burn out.  

Overall:  A great representation of what I believe the Diplomaticos to be.  A little more down time or perhaps a slower approach in smoking it should make this a mid 90s cigar.  Today I would give it a 91-92.  

[hoffmr3]

Bolivar Royal Corona (LRE ENE 10)

Start 3:32pm

End 4:37pm

Total: 65 minutes

Pre light

Dry boxed for one week. Draw is almost too open. Lighter wrapper with a good oil content.

First third

Incredible smoke output. Lots of black tea, cedar, and aged tobacco. Even burn. Perfect draw.

Second third

Black tea flavor is almost nonexistent. Pure aged tobacco. Still lots of cool smoke output. Retrohale is sharp, with almost a hint of charcoal.

Final third

Black tea flavor becoming much more pronounced, especially after purging, but aged tobacco still dominates. 

 

Razor sharp burn with copious amounts of smoke throughout. Age has definitely smoothed out this cigar, leaving it with a classy, medium-bodied flavor. While very satisfying, I think I actually enjoy the BRC slightly more around the 2-3 year mark, when the flavors were stronger and fuller.

90 points

[fabes]

Chose an Epicure No.2 for the stopwatch challenge. From a 2013 box that has been getting better and better. 

Got flavors of cream and earth and a cinnamon like spice. Kinda like a room temperature horchata, but minus the sweetness. It was tasty while monotone. 

Ending time of 1hr 20min. Quite standard for me and robustos. 

[jkdooley]

JUL 15 Partagas D4 this evening on our patio after a semi-busy day at the dealership. 1 hour 28 minutes.


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[hoffmr3]

58 minutes ago, fabes said:

Chose an Epicure No.2 for the stopwatch challenge. From a 2013 box that has been getting better and better. 

Got flavors of cream and earth and a cinnamon like spice. Kinda like a room temperature horchata, but minus the sweetness. It was tasty while monotone. 

Ending time of 1hr 20min. Quite standard for me and robustos. 

Is that a CFA study guide? That would ruin any good cigar.

[gweilgi]

Went with a Punch Robusto RE Switzerland (box code EMA NOV 07).  When I first bought them, they had the full richness of Punch, but these may be past their peak.  This one was very smooth, on the light side of medium, creamy with just a hint of spice.  Ash was very loose....

Paired with a four-shot espresso.

Smoking duration: just over an hour.  A bit short for me...

 

[David88]

Partagas D4 from a Monday clearance in may (didn't make note of the box code or date). 

I find D4s can be pretty hit or miss but the ones I have had from this purchase so far have all been excellent, although not the prettiest. 

The first third opened with a clear partagas sweet pepper flavour. Not as bold as a partagas short, but then again I wouldn't want a robusto of that intensity. 

The second third sees the body step up to just above medium. The pepper flavour is still there but it has started to turn from a sweet pepper to a stronger white pepper note. 

The final third is a continuation of the second. Very peppery/spicy and a straight medium body.

These were from a Monday clearance and haven't had any significant time to age after the initial rest but I would be surprised if anyone wanted anything more from it. I would say it's a 91 point cigar at the moment. They would probably benefit from some aging, but why bother when they're like this. 

The important bit, time: 82 minutes from start to finish. 

 

[Habana Mike]

For this I selected the H Upmann 2012 LE Robusto - considered the La Escepcion Don Jose but damn if that’s not an Hermosa No. 4 LOL

Firmly rolled, wrapper not too dark

Clipped, snug draw. Hay, cedar, toasted tobacco notes at cold.

Lit 9PM, first ash 9:28

Slightly creamy mouthfeel. Smoke production not as much as I’d like. Nutty, woody character mostly.

Just past the halfway point an hour in, ash drops again. Draw improved. Hints of milk chocolate, touch of leather. Wood still predominant.

Glenmo Nectar d’Or on the side. Pairs well.

Nice finish, lingers.

90 minutes in, approaching the end….shame only a handful of these left. Just over an hour and a half for this one. Sometimes a little slower, sometimes a little faster.

[fabes]

1 hour ago, hoffmr3 said:

Is that a CFA study guide? That would ruin any good cigar.

Close. It's for the CPA.

Sometimes I can't tell if it makes the cigars less enjoyable or the studying less miserable. 

[weirdneighbor]

Started my RAE ABR 15 RASS at 5:05 pm. Set it down at 5:58 pm. 53 minutes for this one. This cigar had good construction and required no touch ups. Most of the cigars from this box have had this musty flavor that I can't get enough of and this specimen was no exception. Paired it with a Christmas Ale because "winter is here."

[mkz]

1 hour ago, weirdneighbor said:

Started my RAE ABR 15 RASS at 5:05 pm. Set it down at 5:58 pm. 53 minutes for this one. This cigar had good construction and required no touch ups. Most of the cigars from this box have had this musty flavor that I can't get enough of and this specimen was no exception. Paired it with a Christmas Ale because "winter is here."

St Bernardus and cigar. Nice combo! ?

[mwaller]

10 hours ago, BMWBen said:

You are correct, right next to the tobacco plants I have some mint leaves growing so i've had some great mojitos this summer. I use Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron, Polar seltzer water, mint leaves, and squeeze a wedge of lime in, nothing fancy. I've tried with and without a small teaspoon of sugar but prefer them without the added sweetness. 

What variety of tobacco are you growing?

[Guest robitowitz]

11 hours ago, fabes said:

Close. It's for the CPA.

Sometimes I can't tell if it makes the cigars less enjoyable or the studying less miserable. 

I'm in the 'studying less miserable' camp here.  I implemented a "no cigars unless studying" rule when I was testing for my CMA (management accountant)...did the trick for me

[BMWBen]

15 hours ago, mwaller said:

What variety of tobacco are you growing?

I planted 3 types originally, Habano 2000, CT Shade, and Vuelta Abajo but when it came time to transplant the Vuelta Abajo was doing far better than the rest so I only planted that

[planetary]

Seems like we're toward the end of submissions, so here are the (potentially) final stats, with 42 robusto entries.  (Two non-robusto entries were submitted, but not included, for rigor.)

The data is here.

Mean	70	minutes
Median	71	minutes
Mode	80	minutes
Std Dev	17.81	minutes
Average age:	3.8	years
Average score:	90.1	points

The cigars chosen were:

With an average of 70, the actual distribution of scores looked like this, with a normal distribution plotted for reference:

Finally, I noticed a weak correlation between time of day and the duration of the smoke.  For every 3 hours which pass during the day, a smoke tends to last 5 minutes longer -- an observation which we should take with a grain of salt...

Hope these rough findings are of interest.  There may be a bit more buried in here, but the data set is limited.

Cheers!

[Corylax18]

I smoked this RASS Saturday evening. The few I've tried from the box so far have been ok, mostly underfilled, this one is no different. When I say underfilled, I mean it, I like a nice open draw, but you can pull smoke through these by just thinking about it hard enough. Its a shame because the wrappers are very nice. I ended up smoking this example in almost exactly 60 min, which is definitely under my average for a cigar this size. 

[Corylax18]

The RASS didn't quite satisfy the urge for the weekend, so on Sunday I followed it up with a JL No 2. This cigar has a beautiful, light, almost peanut butter colored wrapper and aside from a hard spot close to the foot, construction was much more consistent. The draw was a bit tight upon initial lighting but after burning past the knot was good for the remainder of the cigar. This one burned much slower and tasted much better than the RASS from the day before. I really enjoy the flavor profile of Juan Lopez and I think the profile will age wonderfully. Coffee, some citrus, nuts, lots of body. I have been surreptitiously tucking away boxes of the seleccion 1s since I discovered them a couple years ago. Total burn time on this cigar was 85 minutes, right around my typical robusto average. I guess I forgot to grab and "after" photo, but trust me, I had the Perfecdraw (and Perfecnubber) out at the end.