Vegas Robaina Unicos ROA MAY 07

[Sandman]

Your review sounds quite similar to how mine from Sep 06 are smoking. Thanks for the review.

[shrink]

Sounds like a satisfying smoke, Prez. I wish you had chosen to showcase one of the better rolled, and better looking examples of this cigar. With that elegant band, this can be a most beautiful cigar.

I still have a few of those '97 Famosos, and when I light one up, it's always a special occasion. These things are the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove. So smooth, you are lulled into a false sense of security. Then, it gives you a right-left combination that leaves you dazed.

[aavkk]

Man I wish I could say the same for the few I smoked late this summer. Its just never been near the top of my torpedo list. Glad you enjoyed it Rob.

[El Presidente]

» Man I wish I could say the same for the few I smoked late this summer. Its

» just never been near the top of my torpedo list. Glad you enjoyed it Rob.

You weren't by chance smoking some hollow cardboard tasting 04's and 05's? I have been up plenty of dry gullies with those years and that is not to say all were bad.

[Professor Twain]

Rob, I seem to remember a negative review from you of recent Famosos, do you think the Unicos is the current pride of recent production Vegas Robaina?

[bassman]

» » Man I wish I could say the same for the few I smoked late this summer.

» Its

» » just never been near the top of my torpedo list. Glad you enjoyed it

» Rob.

»

» You weren't by chance smoking some hollow cardboard tasting 04's and 05's?

» I have been up plenty of dry gullies with those years and that is not to

» say all were bad.

I had a few 04 VR DA's that were pretty grim too. Flavorless, and so loosely rolled they smoked up in 45 minutes.

[anacostiakat]

» » » Man I wish I could say the same for the few I smoked late this summer.

»

» » Its

» » » just never been near the top of my torpedo list. Glad you enjoyed it

» » Rob.

» »

» » You weren't by chance smoking some hollow cardboard tasting 04's and

» 05's?

» » I have been up plenty of dry gullies with those years and that is not

» to

» » say all were bad.

»

» I had a few 04 VR DA's that were pretty grim too. Flavorless, and so

» loosely rolled they smoked up in 45 minutes.

The ones I have tried out of an '05 box of VR DAs have been excellent.

[aavkk]

» » Man I wish I could say the same for the few I smoked late this summer.

» Its

» » just never been near the top of my torpedo list. Glad you enjoyed it

» Rob.

»

» You weren't by chance smoking some hollow cardboard tasting 04's and 05's?

» I have been up plenty of dry gullies with those years and that is not to

» say all were bad.

Not sure, didnt have the box codes. Although I havent had any from 98 I have had a few spectacular examples from 00 and 01 that just keep me going back every so often as you describe to see if maybe I can find one that brings me back. Im not very experienced but I do know that I have really enjoyed just about everything from 06 and 07. I may have to split a box of these with a friend.

[El Presidente]

» Rob, I seem to remember a negative review from you of recent Famosos, do

» you think the Unicos is the current pride of recent production Vegas

» Robaina?

PT it is certainly the best Vegas Robaina I have had of late. I am going to smoke another from another box this afternoon. Let's see if consistency holds up. I will report back.

[greenpimp]

The last box of these I bought was from May04. Some of the darkest regular production cigars I ever saw. And very bitter. I hold out hope they will be great one day. They have a lot of flavor, unfortunately as of now the flavor is of badness.

[El Presidente]

Vegas Robaina Unicos ROA MAY 07

I still compare every Vegas Robaina Unicos to the initial release (1997/1998). They were some of the finest Piramides I can recall. Intense coffee and creams with leather and earth. They maintained their quality through the initial years but in my opinion fell away from 2004/2005 and even some lackluster 2006. Interesting to see how a 2007 fares.

Not the greatest of rolls. Again, I try to select the worst from open boxes and this one had a definite two inch stem that I could feel down the side just underneath the binder. The foot of the cigar had a crevasse where another thick piece of stem appeared to snuggle in. What I did like about the cigar was the aroma at cold. All bitter chocolate and young leather. Wrapper is attractive and silky to the touch.

Clipped the cap and the test draw was great imparting a little toasted tobacco on the lips. Fired up the foot and that little piece of stem ignited and threw off the burn but alas it soon corrected as the offending particle burnt away.

Very smooth opening. Medium bodied, leather, quality tobacco and earth coat the palate. Good level of grey smoke wafting slowly and hanging heavy on this humid morning. The grey black ash is holding well and the cigar easily moves into a slow burning comfort zone. Each draw delivers thick smoke which coats the tongue leaving a sense of controlled confidence. This is a cigar which is very clear about what it is. There are no tempestuous outbursts or confused muted openings. Clear, controlled, clean leather, earth flavours with just enough of a hint of bitter cooking chocolate to make it interesting. Throughout the opening few inches it has never strayed from Medium in body.

Into the second third and bitter chocolate fade into a light coffee combining nicely with the ever present leather and earth. Some saltiness on the extremes of the flavour spectrum not unlike a Sancho Panza Beli. Very cool burn which provides a canvass for the flavours to interplay at their own speed. This is proving to be a cigar which is leaving me “comfortable and relaxed”. I am impressed with the burn, ash, aroma and flavour. The cigar is playing to its strengths…medium bodied, smooth, enough flavours to keep me interested and lull me into a zone of comfort where I can concentrate on the work at hand knowing full well that the Unicos has everything under control.

The final third sees a slightly fuller body (medium/full) with a little charred wood enter the fray.Leather and earth still there and the remnants of coffee become a little darker. Very nice seamless transformation. Bitter chocolate making a comeback on the peripherals but is not consistent. I suspect a mere promise of what lies ahead in a few years.

This Vegas Robaina Unicos is like a faithful dog sitting by your side whose presence just relaxes you. It knows your mood and works solely to ensure that you enjoy its company with a minimum of fuss. This is certainly no challenge to the 1997/1998 releases which I have always considered a 94/95. Yet this is quite possibly one of the better examples since that time.

Not a bad achievement for an 07 cigar.

89/100 5/6 smokerings.