Beneath the Band: Vegas Robaina Famosos

[El Presidente]

 

This series to explore whether a particular cigar is humidor worthy. Cost these days is an issue for many so let's see if we can highlight some absolute standouts. This should particularly assist those new to the cigar world.  

To be fair, most of the cigars we have featured to date have scored exceptionally well. Surprisingly well! 

Scoring is: 1-3 (Poor)   4-6 (Average to good)   7-10  (very good to excellent)  Use the Poll. 

You are more than free to comment away 

Many still consider the Vegas Robaina Famosos as a a newcomer to the Cuban cigar world but It has been 27 years since this cigar was released to the International market. I spent a little bit of time with Don Alejandro Robaina back in those years and he was as sharp as a whip. Never a lover of his cigar overlords, I could only imagine what he would say about todays prison rolling farms and the situation Habanos has found itself internationally. I recall he oversaw/judged a competition  and came across a gun 17 year old  Partagas roller to whom he awarded the win. Hamlet Paredes to this day says that he was so awestruck, he couldn't speak or look the old man in the eye.

Legendary man. Legendary marque. Great cigars of which only a two remain. 

 

Have your say! 

Today: Vegas Robaina Famosos.   Let's kick off the discussion 

 Let us know in this thread 

 

[Wookie]

Along with RASS and Regios these are my go-to in this robusto/Hermoso 4 range.  Each has such a consistently defining flavor profile. 

[FOHgetaboutit]

Another vote to abstain for me unfortunately. I’ve some resting and am longingly waiting …

[griller]

Great cigar! I thought these had a defining "raisin" profile until I lit up my example from the 2025 FOH Blind Tasting challenge and I got ZERO raisin or prune overtones (kept me from going 5 for 5 on the selections, too). That being said these (in my experience) are usually well constructed and deliver some earthiness with a medium body. Unfortunately, while they may be "box worthy" I think I'll be reaching for the D4 or JL2 before this VR if pricing is the same.

[zacca]

Love these. Very unique profile and pretty consistent IMO. Sometimes the mood hits you and these do the trick.

[JohnS]

I love these, especially aged. My aged ones have given me a unique blend in flavours such as dates, prunes and luscious grass.

[Redgoldband]

The ones I had early on did nothing for me. There are other robustos I'll reach for before this. As it stands, would rather light up an Unicos instead of this. 

[Ford2112]

I haven't had enough of these to form an educated opinion, and the few I had didn't wow me. I will re-visit at some point.

[Lucas Buck]

Bit of a love/hate for me. Had some really good ones and some really bad ones, often from the same box. Recently smoked an OR from ‘97 that was incredibly lackluster. My least favorite VR and I have much love for this marca. Might have to smoke a Don Alejandro tonight. 

[Chibearsv]

I’ve given them a fair shot. I’m not a buyer. 

[Fugu]

On 10/29/2025 at 11:21 PM, El Presidente said:

let's see if we can highlight some absolute standouts.

Surely not an absolute standout considering where the brand is coming from. By no means a ‘bad’ cigar, and on the pro relatively consistent. But, for me personally, the most unexciting vitola of the original line. Glad they didn’t follow the route of Saint Luis Rey and kept at least the Pirámide in addition.

(How HSA could ever kill the very cigar that bore the Don’s name - a cigar that called for the best wrappers, in the very brand that’s named after the very family/vega producing exactly those best wrappers - still is beyond me.)

But I digress…😅, if you are a Robustos/H4 smoker, I’d say the Famosos is an absolute must to have in the rotation.

[GVan]

I've got a BSM-Nov-19 box that now has only 3 cigars smoked. I let them rest for ~ 3 years and then tried one - blah...Waited another year and tried again - same. Gave one to my son-in-law to see what he thought and he just said put them away for longer. I'm now basically at 6 years old and really have almost zero interest in trying another one. I'm hoping @JohnS is right in his comment above and I'll just be a few more years patient...maybe at 10 years I'll be rewarded?

[MrBirdman]

One of the few Cubans I feel offers a robusty earthy, medium-full profile. While I don’t often reach for them, when that mood strikes they deliver. They’re a bit of a throwback based on what I’ve heard about CC before my day (pre-2003), and can be harsh young. Incredible aging legs though, my remaining Famosos are 6-7 years old and still getting better. 

[El Presidente]

11 hours ago, Fugu said:

(How HSA could ever kill the very cigar that bore the Don’s name - a cigar that called for the best wrappers, in the very brand that’s named after the very family/vega producing exactly those best wrappers - still is beyond me.)

...To say there wasn't a lot of love between the Don and HSA/Tabacuba would be an understatement 

[JohnS]

6 hours ago, GVan said:

I've got a BSM-Nov-19 box that now has only 3 cigars smoked. I let them rest for ~ 3 years and then tried one - blah...Waited another year and tried again - same. Gave one to my son-in-law to see what he thought and he just said put them away for longer. I'm now basically at 6 years old and really have almost zero interest in trying another one. I'm hoping @JohnS is right in his comment above and I'll just be a few more years patient...maybe at 10 years I'll be rewarded?

My box was opened around three or four years of age, were good from the beginning and kept getting better. If you've come to the six year point and they're like that, it may not be the box of Vegas Robaina Famosos to 'pin' your hopes on.

[Droper69]

I just picked up a box and I find them excellent even young, they will only be better in 2-3 years!

[Glass Half Full]

These require age IMO.  

I guess I've been lucky given some of the comments above. Even though I don't tend towards Robustos, my experiences with Famosos with at least 6 years on have always been good, and sometimes just wonderful.  

There have been a few that even bring a brief but fun set of peanutty flavors, which is a rare for me in cigars. (Whenever that happens, it always reminds me of the first time I experienced those flavors -- while smoking my first ever a RA Unico while enjoying an early evening in the inner courtyard of a beautiful Casa Particular in Trinidad, Cuba, back in 2018. )

[Fugu]

On 10/31/2025 at 8:40 PM, El Presidente said:

...To say there wasn't a lot of love between the Don and HSA/Tabacuba would be an understatement 

Sure, and obviously for good reason. Small-mindedness ruled.

At least they let the ‘Don’ survive for five years longer than the others…

[rcarlson]

Absolutely humidor worthy, and absolutely a unique stick. I rarely reach for them, but I'm always glad when I do. Such a seductive flavor profile. And change of pace. I've found a few years down does wonders.

[mikec]

I'm in agreement that losing the Don Alejandro from the line was a travesty and shouldn't have happened. I do agree that Alejandro Robaina and HSA had problems from the very start. Shame.