With the release this week of a Four Pack Sampler, I decided to go through each size of the Hirochi Robaina cigar which is officially called HR Habano Maduro.
For those not in the know, Hirochi Robaina is the grandson of renowned Cuban tobacco grower Alejandro Robaina who also have a Cuban brand called Robaina. In 2011, Omar Gonzalez Aleman the master blender for Cubanacan who once worked in Cuba’s cigar industry reached out to the grandson with the idea of making a cigar to honor Alejandro. The cigars are now available and is easily a contender for cigar of the year, but how does the Hermoso compare to the Toro.
Cigar: HR Habano Maduro
Size: 5 1/8 x 48 (Hermoso/Robusto)
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Full
Source: Two Guys Smoke Shop
The Look: The Hirochi Robaina is really an amazing looking cigar with a flawless wrapper that looks like chocolate. The gold and brown hand is reminiscent of the Cuban Robaina brand, though it imparts that this is Hirochi’s cigar with the large H. The cigar has a seamless roll, a perfectly placed cap and a closed foot which I would love to see more companies do. Under the tigers the wrapper feels like velvet and there are no soft spots and an average weight.
The Notes: The cold draw of the cigar was reminiscent of cocoa and some cedar. The aroma of the wrapper was like fine chocolate under the nose and the foot of the cigar which was closed served up chocolate nuttiness. Due to the closed foot the cigar lit up quickly and instantly served up some spice, coffee and sweetness.
The first third of the Hermosa seems sweeter than the Toro. There is some cocoa/chocolate notes with a bit of nuttiness. The pepper experience on the first pull has faded revealing a wonderfully complex cigar. Smoking further into the first third one gets lost in the notes of pistachios, cedar, chocolate and subtle spices.
The second third of the Hirochi Robaina sees the nuts begin to take on more of a hazelnut flair and the notes of coffee begin to become dominant around the halfway point of the cigar. There is some subtle chocolate notes though they get lost in the slightly spicy finish.
The last third of the cigar the aroma becomes noticeable more so then the last two third with elements of cinnamon. The notes remain coffee, nuts, and a hint of earth with some spices on a prolonged but enjoyable finish.
The Burn: The draw of the Hirochi Robaina is flawless with the right amount of resistance for a cigar that clocked in at 105 minutes for me. The burn line was razor thing and while it started out slightly uneven, the burn was razor sharp before the start of the second third. The light color ash was strong and lasted for the first half of cigar.
The Finish: Last year I was wowed by Atabey and Byron and this cigar is easily the first cigar of 2015 that has totally wowed me. With its rich robust complexity of delicious mouth watering notes, this is a cigar that is a must try. While I am awarding it the same score as the Toro, this cigar has more complexity, and if fraction came into play this would edge out the toro at 94.5.
Score: 94
Price: $19.99
4 Pack Sampler is available online via 2GuysCigars.com
Hirochi Robaina
Hirochi Robaina Foot
Hirochi Robaina Burn
