Review: Zino The Make of Texas

Zino has undergone a bit of a transformation over the past year. The brand has made an effort to get younger with the addition of street art. The Make Of Texas continues that trend featuring the art of Gonzo 247, the renowned graffiti artist from as you may have guessed it, Texas. According to a mailing from the company, Zino is referred to as “a brand that prides itself on the ideals of nonconformity, ceaselessly aiming for bigger and better, driven by its undeniable thirst for self-expression.”

The question is; aside from the makeover, how does Zino compare to the Zino of the past.

Cigar: Zino The Make of Texas
Size: 5.5 x 56 (Robusto Extra)
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Strength: Medium-Full

The Look: The wrapper that adorns Zino The Make of Texas had a reddish-brown hue to it, with an ever so slight brindle effect. Under close examination the wrapper has a network of ultra thin veins that adorn the seamlessly rolled cigar. There is a dual band in use, with the primary being bronze with black and silver. In the center is the classic looking Zino logo. The secondary band features a smaller version of the box art that was skillfully done by Gonzo 247. In the hand, the wrapper has a slightly gritty feel to it and is firm to the touch although it does feel a tad light for its size.

The Notes: The cold draw has that classic Davidoff/Zino flavor of hay and barnyard with a slightly sour not. The foot of the cigar has an aroma that mimics that of the cold draw.

Once the cigar is lit, the classic notes of the Zino begin to dissipate into the background and a warm buttery note with hints of nutmeg rise to the surface. Once me move about 3/4 of an inch into the experience those notes of earth come back front and center with the addition of wheat and a note of brown mustard  on the finish.

In the second third of Zino The Make of Texas the wheat notes begin to develop even further becoming the primary focal at the half way point of the smoke. There is a developing spice through the nose and a nice warm savory aroma.

Working into the last third of The Make of Texas some earth notes return, with the emergence of a chocolate note that disappears as quickly as it appeared. the barnyard notes come back full force as you remove the cigar band with a nice anisette finish.

The Burn: While the burn of the cigar was crisp, it did burn slightly asymmetrical. The draw was perfect with just the right amount of resistance and the firm ash held on an inch at a time. Smoke production was a little less than I would like, but I will be the first to admit that is purely for the romanticism a cigar offers.

The Finish: The Make of Texas by Zino is definitely not what I remembered Zino to be. By Dominican standards, it is definitely medium to full as advertised by the company. However, there are similarities to a classic Zino as well. The question is, was there enough of a change to attract a new customer, while holding on to the core Zino fans. I think the answer is yes, even with the fuller bodied finish.

Score: 90
Price: $16.00