Vegueros Mananitas BMP MAY 17 (TVQVRW)

[Notsocleaver]

I won this tin of 16 Vegueros Mananitas the last time Vegueros were up on the review contest slate here. Now that they are up again I thought it would be fun to review them so everyone could get a taste of just what they could win in this contest. I have given out quite a few of these since I received them for free myself and have been honestly surprised at how many converts I've won over. I do think they are better than any of the other volume brands coming out of Cuba right now, though how grand a claim that is is up to debate

Full credit to Rob, this is about as good of a wrapper as you will ever find on a budget cigar. A little veiny, but dark with a good sheen, just a shade lighter than most of my ELs.  The 16 count tins are plastic wrapped with a cardboard insert at the feet, making a further inspection pretty difficult, but this whole tin has been well rolled, though perhaps a touch loose on the draw. Just a small clip off the head gets all the draw you need.

 

This little cigar packs a lot of flavor but only mid to low strength. Opening notes of bitter chocolate and earth. Playing in the background is just a bit of grass. The bitterness is a little too unpleasant for me. As it progressed a bit of sugarcane sweetness picks up and puts the profile into balance dramatically. The sweetness makes the other flavors work. The open draw makes the cigar burn hot if drawn too deeply or too often but as I find the rhythm of this cigar its a pretty enjoyable experience.

As the cigar draws to a close the chocolate notes increase a little, a long with a strange oily note. I give this particular cigar a 84, but I think there is a some aging potential here. The blending consistency on these hasn't been the greatest. In this example, the earth notes dominated. In others the sugar cane or grass has lead. I think I prefer those examples. But its a budget cigar with three distinct notes and that is hard to complain about. Value on these is hard to judge, they tend to be just a hair cheaper per stick than your typical minuto, and smoke a bit longer. If the price point works for you I recommend them, but in a world where PL Montecarlos and H Upmann Regalias exist I'm not sure they go up to the top of my buy list. It will be interesting to see where the price point of the new Centrofinos settles. If it slips in under JL2 sale prices it could find a place in the budget spot in my rotation.