Anthony Serino isn’t a household name in the cigar industry but he has been around for two decades. Today’s cigar is a new venture into the premium cigar market versus the bundle market where he made his name. To create this new cigar Anthony turned to Omar Gonzalez Aleman of La Corona Cigars who is most recently known for producing the blends of Hirochi Robaina.
The Serino Royale Maduro XX is celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Serino Cigars and it makes me want to watch a James Bond flick.
Cigar Review: Serino Royale Maduro XX Toro
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano 2000 (Maduro Oscuro)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua (Jalapa, Esteli)
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 52
Vitola: Toro
Cutter: Lotus Jaws
Lighter: Vertigo Twister
The Look: Packaged in gorgeous high gloss black boxes, the cigars are laid out in two rows of ten. The cigar bands made at Cigar Rings are blue, gold and a touch of red. The primary denoting Serino 20th Anniversary, while the secondary foot bands denotes Royale Maduro XX. The wrapper is milk chocolate in color with a couple of veins that are prominent. In the hand the cigar is firm, balanced and well rolled.
The Notes: The cold draw of the Serino Royale Maduro XX serves up notes of raisins and brown sugar. There is an oatmeal like flavor profile that is quite enjoyable. The aroma off the foot of the cigar which has some nice dark tobacco in the center has an abundance of raisins.
Once the cigar is lit, there are notes of licorice and a heavy wood such as oak. As the cigar progresses the oak notes begin to take hold as the dominant flavor profile with a hint of salt and a touch of cocoa. On the retrohale there are some subtle spices that prolong the finish.
Moving on to the second third of the cigar, the salty notes become dominant as oak moves to the background and on the aroma. Around the half way point the profile becomes earthy with a leather finish that is joined by wood and spice on the retorohale. There is a slight red pepper component to the finish.
The last third sees the hearty wood notes return in force with some peanuts thrown in for good measure. There is a lot going on as the cigar comes to a leathery finish with hints of caramel, nuts, oak, earth and a touch of cocoa.
The Burn: The burn of the Serino Royale Maduro XX reveals a white ash that is smooth with no flake. The burn line is even albeit the combustion line is fairly thick. The draw of the cigar is near perfect and I did need to relight the cigar once around the midway point of the cigar but it might have been due to user neglect as I was engaged in conversation.
The Finish: After I wrote the review I went back to check what Derek said when he reviewed the pre-release samples of this cigar that was released at the 2016 IPCPR in Las Vegas. Our reviews are very similar which is impressive considering all the subtle nuances this cigar has to offer. If you like a full cigar, this one should fit comfortably in your wheelhouse.
Score: 90
Price: $12.89 / $229.99
Serino Royale Maduro XX
Serino Royale Maduro XX Foot
Serino Royale Maduro XX Burn
