One of the biggest stories of 2014 was Hirochi Robaina, the grandson of renowned Cuban tobacco grower Alejandro Robaina would be joining forces with Cubanacan Cigars to release a cigar made in Nicaragua.
The story began in 2011 when 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 we can expect to see Hirochi Robaina around the states has he has a 5 year visa that will allow him to attend events and promote the cigar.
Cigar: HR Habano Maduro
Size: 6 x 52 (Toro)
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Full
Source: Two Guys Smoke Shop
The Look: At first glance there is a similarity to the HR band to that of the Cuban Robaina band. However, upon closer look the band stands well on its own utilizing colors of dark brown, gold foil and eggshell. The cigar states HR in the center and 1845 underneath it which is when the family began to grow tobacco. The cigar itself has a nice oil sheen to it and has a very gritty feel to it. There are some thin veins present but the cigar feels firm in the hand with a closed foot on the bottom.
The Notes: The cold draw of the cigar was tough because of the closed foot, but there was a cedar note and a sweetness off the wrapper that was chocolate like. Once the cigar is lit there is some spice and cedar at the start.
The first third of the cigar starts off stronger than I expected and there is a nice cedar note, and an abundance of peppery spice on the palate. However, when you retrohale this cigar the spice becomes more cinnamon like. As the pepper fades the cigar begins to develop coffee notes with subtle sweetness in the background. As the first third comes to a close the sweetness begins to emerge as a warm chocolate note.
The second third is where the cigar really begins to shine with a nice complexity of cedar, bitter coffee and sweet chocolate notes. In the background there is some floral notes that occasionally show themselves. Around the midway point of the cigar there is some sweet caramel notes present.
In the last third of the HR Habano Maduro by Hirochi Robaina the cigar changes up again with notes of earth. The cedar notes remain with some chocolate.
The Burn: While the cold draw was tight due to the covered foot, once the cigar was lit it was the definition of perfect draw. The spot on construction yielded a perfect burn with a light color ash that held on for an inch and a half at a time. The cigar remained cool til I put it down with less than a half-inch remaining and it remained lit from first light to last puff.
The Finish: The debate has gone on for so long about which tobacco is the best. Cuban, Dominican, Nicaragua. I think this cigar answers the question with the answer of the Cuban Cigars being overrated. The reason I say this is the simple fact that Cuban cigars lack the complexity that this cigar delivers. I will be interesting once the embargo is lifted and seeing how the cigar industry change. As far as the cigar, this is a complex full-bodied masterpiece.
Score: 94
Price: $20.99
4 Pack Sampler is available online via 2GuysCigars.com
Note: As per the company these can’t be featured online, Two Guys Smoke Shop has them for sale 1-888-224-4272.
HR Habano Maduro
HR Habano Maduro Foot
HR Habano Maduro Burn
