Camaleón Cigars has been around for a few years, but is a smaller brand that many may not have heard of. The Camaleón name and their first line, Huevo de Oro comes from Camaleóns, the type of lizards that has the ability to change their color. Camaleóns also lay eggs and the name Huevo de Oro translates to “Golden egg” and the blend used for this cigar was said to stand out in the hundreds of test blends. This blend, of the hundreds they tested, stood out, hence the golden egg.
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
The company is owned by Gabriel Beco and Pedro Betances and started after a trip to “Chico’s Factory” in 2016. After tasting one of Francisco “Chico” Rivas blends, they knew they wanted to do a project with him. Francisco “Chico” Rivas has been in the tobacco business for over 30 years and has produced cigars for other companies such as Flor y Nata, Chogüí, Campesino, and Vivaldi.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Corona Gorda Length: 5″ Ring Gauge: 46 Country of Origin: Dominican Republic Wrapper: Habana 92 (Maduro) Binder: Criollo 98 Filler: Corojo 2020 Factory: Manufactura Rivas Blender: Francisco “Chico” Rivas Number of reviewers: 4 – Alan(Eulogy) Sean F.(fullermaine) Isaac M.(The Nothing) Kevin A.(Kevin A.) Price: $7.50 Age: 3 Months Release Date: 2016 Contributed by: Camaleon Cigars
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 90
“This cigar had a semi-gloss appearance from the oily wrapper. It looked tightly wound with barely noticeable seams. The veins were a good size but not distracting.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)”
Aroma: 91
“Wonderful earthy notes from the foot and wrapper. I get a bit more spice and hay from the foot but they’re both similar. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
Blind Cigar Review: Camaleon | Huevo de Oro Corona Gorda
“Lots of thick creamy smoke, rich leather, bitter coco, and heavy red pepper to finish it off. There’s a slightly bitter finish and I find leather lingering in the finish.” –Alan (Eulogy)
“The first few puffs of the cigar give off a strong oak, campfire note, with a little bit out sour citrus zing on the finish. The retrohale is pleasant and not overpowering, with quite a bit of black pepper with an almost menthol like finish. Just the slightest bit of “zing” to the nose, which is helping open up the palate so more is detectable on the tongue. The draw is right on point, the ash is very tightly packed and almost white all with a hearty smoke output.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
Blind Cigar Review: Camaleon | Huevo de Oro Corona Gorda
“There was not so much of a transition in the second third as there was a better understanding of the flavors as they increased in body. The light coffee was a bit more specific, akin to a light-medium roast Kenyan. The peanut shell flavor I noticed before was more specifically the skin you’d find around Valencia peanuts.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“Strong earthy notes are the main profile. I find some leather, pepper, dark cocoa, and hay.” –Alan (Eulogy)
Blind Cigar Review: Camaleon | Huevo de Oro Corona Gorda
“Oak notes briefly lead to a hint of chocolate and tea.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)
“Oak and citrus were the biggest changes to the ending of this cigar. The oak had only been noticeable in the retrohale, but moved on to the palate. The citrus reminded me somewhat of pink grapefruit, but was not tart.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 92
“The draw here is what one should expect from a premium cigar. Just the right amount of resistance, almost like a thick milkshake.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
Burn: 93
“After the initial light, the cigar never required a relight or touch-up.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
Construction: 94
“Looked good with a fairly tight seams, a nice double cap, and firm body to the touch.” –Alan (Eulogy)
“Missing a bit of complexity and depth from any real profile changes. I couldn’t help but think that it fell off a bit at the end also. Would make a good cigar while you’re doing tasks but it’s a bit uninteresting to just sit there and think about the flavors.” –Alan (Eulogy)
“Sugary oak notes makes this an interesting stick. The oak notes stick around for 2/3 of this smoke. Hints of chocolate and tea make this a well rounded stick.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)
“While this was a certainly a good cigar, it never really wowed me. I was really taken back at the initial light when the flavors were so light, I wasn’t even sure it was lit. It was a solid performer, though, and if the flavors sound to your liking, I would certainly suggest picking one up.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“My only wish is there was a wow factor with the cigar. While the flavors that were there were good and well represented what they should, there was never that “ah-ha” moment during the smoking experience making me wonder what goodness is going to come next. It was an enjoyable cigar, and one that I would smoke again.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.
Blind Cigar Review: Camaleón | Huevo de Oro Corona Gorda
Overall Score – 91 – Very Good
Blind Cigar Review: Camaleón | Huevo de Oro Corona Gorda
Summary
"My only wish is there was a wow factor with the cigar. While the flavors that were there were good and well represented what they should, there was never that "ah-ha" moment during the smoking experience making me wonder what goodness is going to come next. It was an enjoyable cigar, and one that I would smoke again" -Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
