Cabaiguan Maduro RX Monday, Sep 28 2009

Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Dark Natural Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Robusto 5.25″ x 50 ring

The Cabaiguan (kah-bei-gWAHN) is probably my absolute favorite Connecticut Shade cigar.  Not really mild, it is more of a medium bodied smoke with light yet assertive flavors.  I have been wanting to try the maduro version for a long while and I have finally got around to it.  Sometimes with the sheer volume of different cigars out there it is hard to get to everything you want to try.  Any way, from what I was able to find with some internet searches, it appears the Cabaiguan Maduro isn’t even really a maduro in the traditional sense.  According to Tatuaje’s site and I saw it again on a retailers site, the wrapper on this cigar is a naturally dark sun grown broadleaf wrapper.  If that sound familiar to you then you are probably familiar with the La Riqueza line of cigars from Tatuaje.  The wrapper for that cigar is described the exact same way.  So is it the same wrapper?  I have no idea, but I wasn’t able to find a wealth of information on the Cabaiguan maduro and what I did find wasn’t necessarily authoritative.  I suppose I could have dropped an email to Havana Cellars and get some details straight from the source but I didn’t.  Looking at the cigar I would guess that this wrapper is related at best but would not guess it is the same as those used on the La Riqueza.  This wrapper is much nicer looking.  The La Riquezas always look rough and lumpy and ugly.  This wrapper has a slight tooth and is generally smoother with an oily sheen.  If it is the same or related, the Cabaiguan got the pick of the litter.  it is still a rustic looking wrapper but it is much prettier than the La Riquezas I have seen.  One other item of note on the dressing if the Cabaiguan Maduro.  It has the same band used on the Cabaiguan Guapos which is a Nicaraguan natural sun grown wrapped cigar of a much lighter shade than these broadleaf maduros.

Right off the bat I could tell this isn’t really a Maduro.  Notes of dark chocolate and coffee bean are complimented by a tart sun grown twang that is one of my favorite things about a natural sun grown broadleaf wrapper.  The Tartness was the dominate flavor for the entire smoke.  I also picked up notes of cedar and a very subtle sweetness.  Overall not a terribly complex cigar but very robust and enjoyable.  If you are a fan of that sun grown twang then you’ll love this cigar because you get a lot of it.  Although I wouldn’t call this smoke a favorite, I definitely like it for an occasional change of pace especially when I am craving a sun grown.

Rating – B

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Cabaiguan Robusto Extra Tuesday, Mar 20 2007

Country: USA
Wrapper: Connecticut Seed Shade Grown Ecuadorian
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Robusto Extra 5.25″x50 ring

Yet another cigar from the Maestro Tobaquero Jose “Pepin” Garcia. He rolls this one in his Miami factory for Pete Johnson just as he does the Tatuajes. This cigar more closely resembles a Cuban cigar than just about any other non-Cuban cigar I have ever seen. It is a work of art. The wrapper is a gorgeous. A rich tan color with the look of expensive leather. The are very few veins and the ones you do see are tiny. It even has a little puckered vein running down one side that I’ve seen on almost every Cuban cigar I’ve come across. And of course like all of his cigars this one is sporting a handsome triple cap. The cigar is beautiful. I even love the band. I’m a minimalist when it comes to bands which is why I am such a fan of the Tatuaje bands. As you can see above, this one is beautifully simple as well.

The cigar is well filled and the cap clipped perfectly with my Palio. The were no signs of rib veins anywhere in the head or foot and the bunch looked perfect. The foot toasted evenly and easily as if it knew that this was it’s purpose in life. The draw was pleasant and it produced a lot of creamy white smoke with a rich aroma. At first it tasted peppery which seems to be a trademark of Pepin’s cigars. The pepper quickly mellowed to just a hint and a woody/cedar flavor took over. The flavors were crisp and light on the palate but assertive and it had a long spicy finish. It started to develop a slight sweetness about half way through that was very pleasant but didn’t last long. The pepper started to pickup again a bit in the last 3rd and as I neared the end of the smoke it mellowed out again. It was an amazingly smooth smoke. The ash was perfect, marbled in white, gray, and black. The burn was a little crooked but by rotating the cigar as I smoked I kept it from becoming a problem.

This cigar is a prototype for how a cigar can be full of flavor without being a “strong” or “full bodied” cigar. This cigar was fantastic and ranks among my recent favorites. I will definitely be hunting down some more of these. I can see these quickly finding a spot on my list of box worthy cigars.

Rating – A

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