Blind Cigar Review: Exactus | Puro Ambar Legacy Gran Robusto

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5.25″
Ring Gauge: 54
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: 1900
Binder: Wine Fermented Criollo ’98
Filler: Criollo ’98 and 1900
Factory: Tabacalera El Artista
Blender: Undisclosed
Number of reviewers: 5—–Stefan (Stefan) Steve (ThaGreatWazoo) Gregg (McGreggor57) Dan (Danfish) Emmett (rhetorik)
Price: $5.00
Age: 3 Months
Release Date: January 2015
Contributed by: Tabacalera El Artista

Initial Impressions

Appearance: 89

“Not the prettiest wrapper leaf, as it has uneven coloration, however, judging by the firmness of the stick and the easy cold draw through a 9mm hole, it appears to be masterfully rolled, which for me is all that really matters.” –Stefan (Stefan)

Aroma: 90

“The wrapper and foot have kind of a dry, spicy aroma to them. Pre-light draw is earthy with some espresso.” –Emmett (rhetorik)

First Third

Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“Starts off medium-full, with notes of cocoa, cinnamon, nuts, white pepper, molasses and coffee. Half an inch in, cocoa, wood and coffee become the dominant flavors, with the semi-sweet coffee component (reminiscent of dulce de leche with a dash of nutmeg) continuing into the long finish. The burn line is uneven but self-correcting.” –Stefan (Stefan)

“I get a light nuttiness and sweetness to begin the cigar. Good flavors but very light. The nuttiness quickly disappears, leaving mostly just a smooth tobacco flavor with a bit of sweetness.” –Dan (Danfish)

Second Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“The second third introduces a layer of white pepper on top of the dulce de leche, and strength gets bumped up a notch bordering on full. Then, around the midpoint, a bitter espresso component begins creeping in on the palate. Toward the end of second third, the flavor profile becomes dominated by coffee notes, with the white pepper holding strong on the finish and especially on the retrohale. By this point, the nicotine has become noticeable.” –Stefan (Stefan)

“Some of the root vegetable I picked up on the cold draw is coming through. A little pepper on the retrohale is getting my attention. As the third comes to an end, the allspice again returns. This time a little stronger.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)

Final Third

Flavor: 89
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Light-Medium

“The final third continues to have a hay and dry grass profile and aroma. A more dominant pepper profile emerges on the retrohale and throughout the finish of the final third. The draw near the end stays pleasant with no burn or over heating issues. The complexity stays medium, however, the cigar definitely turns to a medium-strong strength.” –Steve (ThaGreatWazoo)

“A lot of vegetal flavors are surfacing with a faint floral quality in the background. More heat from the pepper is picking up on the the nose and the palate. As this cigar winds down, I’m not getting much change.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)

Overall Impressions

Draw: 90

“The draw was not much of an issue. A little firm near the end perhaps.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)

Burn: 87

“Needed a few minor touch ups but nothing too bad.” –Dan (Danfish)

Construction: 90

“The construction of this cigar was good. The cigar kept burning throughout, however, the burn ran after the first third and required touching up. The feel of the cigar was tight and the wrapper had many veins present, but none of these observations affected the total outcome of the cigar.” –Steve (ThaGreatWazoo)

Overall Strength: Medium-Strong
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
Overall Experience: 88

“I was really excited by how it started, but then it became less and less complex as it burned down. Still, this stogie was a nice change of pace from the black pepper-dominated market with its flavors of white pepper and molasses. The espresso-dominated profile during the second half was a bit of a disappointment, yet it had enough sweetness overall to pair nicely with a Dubbel ale.” –Stefan (Stefan)

“This cigar was a very enjoyable smoke on a Tuesday night. The aromas and flavor profile were quite enjoyable and pleasant to the palate. The lack of spice or pepper up front was unconventional due to the color and makeup of the cigar, however, it led to a surprising smoke and “on the edge of your seat” experience waiting for what was next to come. The cigar never truly changed complexity and stayed the same throughout, but again, the flavor profile was enjoyable so it did not hinder the overall outcome. I would suggest at least giving this cigar a chance and seeing if it fits your style. For me, I like a stronger maduro with a lot of pepper forward, but this is a nice change of pace to clean out the palate and enjoy some sweet, citrus flavors and aromas.” –Steve (ThaGreatWazoo)

“I really enjoyed the char and toast the first third offered. The vegetal qualities of the second third were a nice change. The final third, however, was more of a continuation of the middle. It created a feeling of one dimension and I started to lose interest in it near the end. Given all that, I would gladly smoke it again.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)

“This is a difficult cigar for me to give a rating as mild maduros aren’t cigars I personally enjoy. It performed decently well and was very smooth, but the flavors weren’t interesting to me in the least. If you’re looking for a light cigar with maduro flavors to go with your morning coffee, this could be an excellent choice. I smoked this cigar late at night and was looking for a little more punch and flavor. It was very well constructed, and assuming the blender was going for a mild, smooth maduro, they achieved their goal very well. It’s not a cigar I will be seeking out, but it would be high on my recommended list for someone looking for a mild maduro.” –Dan (Danfish)

“This was not one that I enjoyed, the only flavors I got the whole time were charred spices and a metallic after-taste. Not pleasant. It had a number of technical problems as well, adding up to a subpar experience. Can’t recommend this one.” –Emmett (rhetorik)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 79

Edit

Reviewer	Appearance	Aroma	1/3	2/3	3/3	Draw	Burn	Constr.	Overall
Stefan	88	88	90	88	88	95	90	95	88
Steve	90	92	92	92	92	92	85	88	92
Gregg	90	92	92	90	88	90	95	90	90
Dan	90	90	90	88	88	85	87	90	88
Emmett	85	88	85	83	80	85	85	85	83

To view the complete scores and notes, click here.
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Blind Cigar Review: Exactus | Puro Ambar Legacy Gran Robusto