In 2017, Fratello Cigars released the Navetta, which translates to “shuttle” in Italian. The name is a tribute to Omar de Frias’ career at NASA. In 2018, they released a followup to that cigar the Navetta Inverso which used the same tobacco but in reverse order. Navetta Inverso translates to “inverted shuttle”. The tobacco previously used for the wrapper and binder are now the filler, and the filler are now the binder and wrapper.
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.
Navetta Inverso uses a Nicaraguan habano wrapper, Ecuadorian binder and Dominican and Nicaragua fillers. The cigar will be comes in three sizes: Corona Gorda (5 7/8 x 46) $9.50, Robusto (5 ½ x 54) $11.25, Toro Grande (6 ¼ x 54) $12.50. The cigar is rolled like other Fratello lines at Joya de Nicaragua.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Robusto Length: 5 1/4″ Ring Gauge: 54 Country of Origin: Nicaragua Wrapper: Nicaragua Binder: Ecuador Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic Factory: Joya De Nicaragua Blender: Omar de Frias Number of reviewers: 5 – Ryan H. (Ryan H.) Alan(Eulogy) John A. (Bostoneo) Mickey T. (irratebass) Jeff (ExpendableYouth) Price: $9.50 Age: 9 Months Release Date: October 2018 Contributed by: Fratello
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 89
“It’s a really nice looking cigar till you really look up close at it. There’s a little too much glue on the cap and wrapper, a few blemishes and holes in the wrapper, and the foot looks a little under filled. It’s still an attractive cigar. The wrapper is a uniform dark chocolate brown, the seams are very tight, and the triple cap is well applied. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
Aroma: 88
“Earth note at first that has a subtle baking spice and white pepper finish. ” –Jeff (ExpendableYouth)
Blind Cigar Review: Fratello | Navetta Inverso Robusto
First Third
Flavor: 90 Strength: Medium Body/Complexity: Medium
“Off the bat, sweet leather notes alongside almonds, cream, and a cookie like sweetness hit the tongue like kungfu ninjas. Half an inch in it takes down into what I like to call, the first third profile. In this “profile” I taste dark chocolate, very light black pepper and mellow black cavendish. Straight forward and simple. ” –John A. (Bostoneo)
“Pre draw gives me straight up walnuts, not walnut flavors that mixed with other flavors, but like I just popped a walnut in my mouth flavor. Never had that before. Nice start so far getting Coffee with Tea, chocolate mixed with some earth flavors. Strength is a medium.” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
Second Third
Flavor: 89 Strength: Medium Body/Complexity: Medium
Blind Cigar Review: Fratello | Navetta Inverso Robusto
“Cream has departed black coffee has won the battle over the cream. Cigar is light medium but inching toward medium” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)
“Getting a Caramel macchiato flavor in this third with a bit more of those walnuts flavors. ” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
Final Third
Flavor: 88 Strength: Medium Body/Complexity: Medium
“Earthy coffee is the note strength has increased to medium burn has performed well was a bit wavy but needed no corrections.” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)
“Sweet pipe tobacco flavors are now dominating this cigar as well as earthy flavors to round it up and bring it all home.” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
Overall Impressions
Blind Cigar Review: Fratello | Navetta Inverso Robusto
Draw: 88
“Good draw, no issues, plenty of smoke.” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
Burn: 84
“I never retouched or relight the cigar during my smoking experience but it was far from straight. I’m positive that this was due to the draw though.” –Alan (Eulogy)
Construction: 92
“Wrapper was a little enveloped in veins, but for the most part construction was good” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)
Overall Strength: Medium Overall Body/Complexity: Medium Experience Overall: 88
“I liked smoking this cigar was a little rustic looking but I enjoyed it.” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)
“I really enjoyed a lot of the flavors that I got from this. Leather, cedar, sweet cream, cola, and grain were all pretty nice. The green juice flavor was a bit off from the rest of the profile and the draw was very poor. It’s still interesting and I would give it another shot to see if the draw was better. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
“Overall, this was an OK Cigar. I really wouldn’t seek it out as I felt it was extremely boring and not complex at all past the first half inch, which was the best part. I spent my time contemplating when does Cigar was going to be over with because it was the same profile throughout the whole time mostly. I almost fell asleep because it was that exhilarating. I’ll pass on this one. ” –John A. (Bostoneo)
“This was a really great smoke for me, lots going on starting out with walnuts on the cold draw then ramping up with the caramel macchiato and sweet pipe tobacco flavors really gave my palate a patty flavor-wise. The cigar performed phenomenally and gave me a good hour and a half of smoking bliss. ” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
“At about the halfway point it jumped the shark never to recover. If it smoked better with less flaws I think it would be a decent enough, although very pedestrian in the grand scheme of things. ” –Jeff (ExpendableYouth)
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.
Blind Cigar Review: Fratello | Navetta Inverso Robusto
Overall Score – 88 – Good
Blind Cigar Review: Fratello | Navetta Inverso Robusto
Summary
"I really enjoyed a lot of the flavors that I got from this. Leather, cedar, sweet cream, cola, and grain were all pretty nice. The green juice flavor was a bit off from the rest of the profile and the draw was very poor. It's still interesting and I would give it another shot to see if the draw was better. " -Alan (Eulogy)
