This week, I received a sampler pack of Macanudos from JR Cigar as part of my (rather dismal) Halloween sampler. Included were robusto-sized equivalents of Macanudo’s Original, Maduro, and Robust lines–a perfect opportunity to decide which Macanudo is the best.

Background:

My brother and I first tried the Original Macanudos in 2005, after our father told us our late grandfather smoked them. We praised them at first, but quickly outgrew them because they are extremely mild and have some rather pronounced drawbacks, particularly the ashy/chary aftertaste.

Next we tried the Maduro line, which features a very dark wrapper, yet is still surprisingly mild. Musty and damp in flavor, we found it to be far inferior to other maduros and have consistently avoided it.

Last we tried the “Robust” line, which, I assume, Macanudo developed to appeal to more sophisticated smokers who prefer a little more kick in their cigars. Although I’ve tried a few, I never paid much attention to this line because it lacks the nostalgia of the Original line.

Results:

Somewhat to my surprise, I found the Robust to be the most enjoyable of the three. It is surprisingly balanced, toasty at first with a long, cool aftertaste and plenty of spice at the end. It doesn’t have the ashy aftertaste of the Original line, yet it retains some of the toasty notes I’ve always liked.

While it’s far from perfect (and it lacks the beautiful gold wrapper of the Original line), if, like me, you’ve overlooked the Robust line, you might consider trying it again. It’s generally the same price as the Original line, but it is superior in many respects. If you’ve never tried a Macanudo, or if you’re new to cigars, I’d stick with the Original line for a while and then try the Robust latter. The Maduro you can pretty much ignore altogether.

Robust
Original
Maduro

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Those of you who read this site regularly already know that I’m a huge fan of CAO. From the everyday Gold line, to the more exotic Sopranos and Italia lines, there’s only one cigar they make that I’m not a fan of (the Criollo). While I may have lost a few points with some readers by saying the Gold Maduro is a fantastic addition to their lineup (a month later, Cigar Aficionado gave it a dismal 82 points), I’m confident most of you agree that CAO is arguably one of the “top three” producers out there (along with Arturo Fuente and Padron).

It’s not every day you get to try a new CAO–though sometimes it seems like every other day. Their newest is the “CAO America.” This is a very complicated cigar. The filler alone comes from four different countries: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Italy and USA. The binder comes from a fifth country: Brazil. Then there’s two wrappers, both from the USA–the first is a creamy Connecticut shade; the second is a darker sungrown ligero–wrapped together to form a “barber pole.” Much like the country it’s named after, the CAO America is a true “melting pot.”

But is it any good? Absolutely. In fact, this the best cigar CAO has made to date. The draw is perfect. The burn is good. The taste is powerful–spicy, nutty and woody, with honey and flower notes. Much like its namesake, this cigar is utterly unique. And, much like its namesake, it’s “heavier” than the rest of the world, ranging in size from 5 x 56 to a whopping 6 x 60. It’s more patriotic, too, with obnoxiously over-pronounced stars and stripes (only 45 stars, though–take that Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma!). And, like the country, CAO’s America gets better with time–up until the last few puffs, where everything kind of falls apart. (Sorry, no politics.)

I know some of you will disagree with my conclusion that this is the best CAO ever. Fair enough. This is America, after all. The land of free expression, opinion and ideas. America is controversial; so too is this cigar. One thing’s for sure, however: CAO has created something hitherto unknown to the cigar world. I, for one, think they did a great job. Or, as George Bush would say, “Mission Accomplished”.

LT Rating: 9 / 10

Another Take: StogieReview.com
Yet another take: CigarCommand.com

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I picked up a bundle of these from CigarInternational.com for just $29.95. To be sure, they are mediocre smokes, with average draw and poor burn quality. Taste is nutty and spicy, with a bittery aftertaste. Still, for the price–just $1.50 per stick–they are superb value-gars. I recommend having a few of these on hand for when your friends (who don’t normally smoke cigars) are around, or for when you’ve had too many brews to care what your gar tastes like.

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I picked up a bundle of these from cigar.com. They are supposedly from the very first batch of Greycliffs in 1997. They have aged very well and are fantastic smokes, despite the small ring size (32-26). With deep earthy tones, hints of licorice, perfect draw and decent burn, these are not to be missed. They do, however, burn a little hot and are expensive for such a small smoke.

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This is a solid cigar. Well made, and very strong. Flavor is spicy with a sweet aftertaste. Picked up a bundle of these on special from cigar.com. Not bad for a value cigar, but still nothing special, despite the “Miami” name–which is obviously supposed to mimic the Padilla Miami line. Recommended only on special.

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I recently got into “the Sorpanos.” After dismissing it as dated and lame for five years, I caught one or two episodes on A&E this year. I decided to purchase the whole first season to avoid the extremely annoying (and long) commecial breaks. By the end of the fifth or six episode, I was hooked, and I bought all six seasons on DVD. During my mo-mega vacation this year, I watched every episode, cigar in hand. Every time Tony Soprano lit up his “macanudo” — which was quite frequently — I would smile, if only because the idea that a mob boss would smoke Macanudos, as opposed to illegally-smuggled Cubans, always seemed laughable to me.

There’s an obvious connection between cigars and the underworld that “the Sopranos” personifies beautifully. Cigar Aficianado recognized this earlier this year when they put the cast from the show on the cover of the June edition. And CAO, with its ever-savvy marketing department, recognized it too when they put out a “Sopranos”-themed cigar. To my knowledge, it’s the only TV-themed cigar ever made, which makes it a novelty, to say the least.

Being a novelty, I avoided it at first, much like the TV show. Then I tried one. It was good. Not just better than your average CAO–which is by all accounts a very good cigar–but arguably better than any other CAO out there. For me, this cigar rivals a Padron 1964. It’s just as flavorful, nutty, spicy, and it’s even more leathery. And, like the Padron 1964, it’s impeccably constructed–an area that has traditionally caused problems for CAO.

Alas, the TV show is over. Aside from waiting for the final eight episodes to come out on DVD, there’s little left of the Sopranos (hell, even the Emmys are over), save for the hope that HBO might put out a movie someday. Until that time, CAO has given the show a good legacy in this fantastic cigar. Yes, it’s expensive (still cheaper than a Vision), but its worth it, in my book. My only real complaint is that the band is difficult to remove–hardly something to “whack” someone over.

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I picked up two of these for my brother and me to smoke during our sister’s wedding extravaganza in San Diego last weekend. After a good Italian meal, and lots of alcohol, these were the perfect gars to have while we celebrated the occasion overlooking the water.

I’ve long been a fan of the Don Carlos line, and these definitely didn’t disappoint. While I overpaid for them due to poor planning ($14.99 at the local cigar shop, instead of $10.99 online), they were still worth it. Between these and the Padron 1964 Exclusivo Maduros we had the next day, my Brother and I agree that the Don Carloses were the better cigar– at least this time around.

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