Every week on The Cigar Authority one of my favorite commercials is for Jose Dominguez cigars and many of our listeners blame us for the donut portion of the commercial being stuck in their head for hours at a time.
Jose Dominguez cigars are made in the Dominican Republic but more people in the social media age of cigars are more familiar with his son Jose Dominguez Jr who along with Scott Weeks produces Recluse Cigars. However, some people might know Jose Dominguez from his blending work on Victor Sinclair.
Cigar Review: Jose Dominguez
Size: 5 x 50 (Gordito / Robusto)
Wrapper: Maduro (Dominican Republic)
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Strength: Medium
The Look: The presentation of the Jose Dominguez gives the cigar a luxury appearance. Featuring a cedar sleeve with a blue ribbon, the Jose Dominguez has a band of gold powder, blue and back. The Maduro wrapper has some natural coloring changes giving it a slightly brindle appearance. The roll is flawless and there is a nice about of oils present. In the hand the cigar is firm with a well packed foot.
The Notes: Using a straight cut, the cigar reveals notes that reminds me of a cold pop tart with some saltiness and sweetness thrown in for good measure while the foot of the cigar serves up some earth notes and a touch of cedar.
Smoking our way through the first third reveals notes revealed a well-defined note of marshmallows with a hint of chocolate and wood. Through the nose there is a mix of black pepper, and coffee with an abundance of sugar. The flavors are hearty and the cigar is satisfying.
As we move into the second third of the cigar the sweetness begins to fade away and a note that reminds me of the charred edge of a steak begin to develop and by the halfway point it becomes the focal point as a creaminess remains in the background. Through the nose some spice and floral notes develop with a moderate finish.
The last third of the Jose Dominguez Maduro sees the dominant note transition into espresso, with a touch of leather and wood. Through the nose remains notes of spice and nuts. The finish is long in length and very chewy if the makes sense; because I am not sure if that translates what I am experiencing.
The Burn: Smokey. That is the one word I would use to describe the burn. Once the cigar is lit, you definitely need to enjoy this in a well ventilated environment as the amount of smoking production off this Maduro is massive. The cigar burns slow, and the burn line is razor-sharp with a thin combustion line. The white ash holds for nearly the first half of the cigar with minimal flake.
The Finish: Jose Dominguez isn’t an everyday name in the cigar industry unless you listen to our podcast on a regular basis. Which is a shame because some of the cigars coming from his factory are outstanding. When it comes to this cigar I find the Connecticut version to be a little smoother and I will review that in the future. But for now if you like a stronger cigar with a long finish, you might just want to pick up a 5 pack of these.
Score: 89
Price: $5.29 each / $99.99 a Box
Jose Dominguez Maduro
Jose Dominguez Maduro
Jose Dominguez Maduro Burn
