Blind Cigar Review: Maya Selva | Flor de Selva Maduro Robusto

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 4.75″
Ring Gauge: 50
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Jamastrán (Honduras)
Binder: Brazialian Mata Fina
Filler: Habano Jamastrán (Honduras) and Ligero Azacualpa (Nicaragua)
Factory: Tabacos de Oriente, S.A.
Blender: Maya Selva
Number of reviewers: 5—–Ron (shuckins) Jiunn (jliu) Dan (Danfish) Gregg (McGreggor57) Jack (Jack_H)
Price: $9.50
Age: 5 Months
Release Date: July 2013
Contributed by: Maya Selva Cigars

Initial Impressions

Appearance: 92

“A very dark wrapper with black staining primarily around the cap and foot. There are minimal veins and seams showing.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)

Aroma: 87

“Not a whole lot of smell to this cigar. Just get a light cedar and tobacco aroma. Pre-light draw gives me a bit of sweetness and pepper. The pre-light smells don’t correspond to the powerhouse that comes when smoking this cigar at all.” –Dan (Danfish)

First Third

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

“First light gives a decent amount of pepper with some sweet wood in the background to round things out. The wood immediately goes away while the next few puffs absolutely blast me in the face with pepper. This was the strongest pepper blast I’ve ever gotten from a cigar that doesn’t have a pepper infused wrapper. It’s a strong black pepper on the front with a spicier cayenne like pepper on the little bit I can retrohale, being careful to not light my sinuses on fire. The pepper then abruptly dies. Literally went from one puff knocking me over with it to basically not there at all. It leaves a dark coffee, with a bit of dark chocolate. The chocolate comes and goes the rest of the third with the coffee always there.” –Dan (Danfish)

“Cedar for the first few draws quickly fades to the background. Dark roast coffee and pepper now dominate. The appearance of leather settles this cigar down to a great mix of coffee, peppercorn and muted cedar.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)

Second Third

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

“Second third is a continuation of the first third. Still rich and thick flavors of white pepper, sweet cream, wood and bitter chocolate. Really digging the fuller bodied smoke. Strength still at a medium and body still at a medium full.” –Jiunn (jliu)

“The flavor has regressed and I can’t decide if that is a bad or a good thing. It is mild in flavor and strong in nicotine. I get bitter chocolate. The ash has held for 45 minutes which is impressive.” –Jack (Jack_H)

Final Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium

“The wood picks up a campfire taste with a gentle heat from the peppery tobacco. The coffee has a dark roast flavor that is stuck in the background, but is able to hold its own and keep the heat from getting carried away.” –Ron (shuckins)

“More cedar accompanies some allspice. The leather is creating a nice chewy smoke in my mouth and coffee is still hanging on in the background. The flavors are very similar to those in the second third, although their intensities vary.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)

Overall Impressions

Draw: 97

“Draw was perfect! The ideal amount of give. Very nice!” –Jiunn (jliu)

Burn: 91

“A pretty decent burn, not perfectly even, but worry free and cool to the palate.” –Ron (shuckins)

Construction: 93

“Well constructed top to bottom with that being evidenced from the cap, draw, burn and lack of blemishes in the wrapper.” –Jack (Jack_H)

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

“A little too woodsy tasting for my flavor profile, but would be a good cigar for those that like that taste in their smokes.” –Ron (shuckins)

“Very good cigar. I immensely enjoyed the fuller flavors of the sweet cream, wood, white pepper and bitter chocolate. I would have liked some transitions. Given a robusto (ish) sized cigar, transitions are called for to really gauge my full interest and enjoyment. If this was a petite corona or petite robusto (and tasted like this vitola), it would be just right. I would smoke more of these if given the opportunity. Nothing to spend my money on though.” –Jiunn (jliu)

“This is a hard cigar for me to give a rating to because while it’s not something I enjoy much or would consider purchasing, it accomplished exactly what the blender was going for. If you enjoy a FULL cigar, this is one I highly recommend. I won’t smoke another, but I have no problem recommending it if the fullest of full bodied cigars are in your wheelhouse.” –Dan (Danfish)

“This was a solid cigar. It transitioned nicely from the first to second third with a more subtle change into the final third. The flavors were good, but there was no wow factor. I would, however, gladly smoke another one.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)

“I will start by saying that my palate is different than yours, and what I dislike you may love. That being said, this cigar was not for me, it was dull in flavor and lacking in complexity throughout. The construction was great but that couldn’t make up for the poor performance in other categories.” –Jack (Jack_H)
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Smoking Time (in minutes): 73

Edit

Reviewer	Appearance	Aroma	1/3	2/3	3/3	Draw	Burn	Constr.	Overall
Ron	95	87	88	88	88	93	90	93	88
Jiunn	80	85	90	90	90	100	97	97	90
Dan	92	90	90	88	85	97	83	95	88
Gregg	90	90	90	90	88	100	92	93	90
Jack	90	83	88	88	88	93	90	93	85

To view the complete scores and notes, click here.
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Blind Cigar Review: Maya Selva | Flor de Selva Maduro Robusto