This weekend we light up the Vallejuello Medio Tiempo on the show, and as I try to do every Friday is showcase the cigar we will talk about on The Cigar Authority. I’ll be honest, I thought it was a bit repetitive, but the feedback via Facebook requesting this has been strong, so here we are.
The name comes from the fact the cigars uses a rare form of tobacco that doesn’t grow on every tobacco plant. Sometimes, if the grower is lucky above the ligero leaves, there are two small corona leaves that receive the most sunlight and nutrients that results in a spicy profile with an added kick. These rare leaves called Medio Tiempo are in the blend of the Vallejuello Medio Tiempo.
Cigar Review: Vallejuelo Medio Tiempo
Wrapper: San Andres
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Cuban Seed Piloto Cubano, Criollo ’98 and Corojo (Dominican Republic, Nicaragua)
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 54
Size: Robusto
The Look: Packaged in numbered boxes that are black, there is an abundance of color from the logo of the cigar which uses colors of red, chiffon yellow, green and gold. The colors make up the band of the cigar that showcases the brand name Vallejuelo and the line, Medio Tiempo. The San Andres wrapper has a dark chestnut color to it, with a toothy feel under the fingers. It’s firmly rolled with a nicely packed foot and a decent amount of oils.
The Notes: Once the cigar is cut, there is a subtle pepper on the cold draw with a meat quality to it as well giving the cigar a pepperoni like quality to it. The foot of the cigar is abundantly sweet with notes of molasses but just enough pepper to cause me to sneeze. Once the cigar is lit the first note reminds me of grilled streak.
Smoking the first third of the Vallejuele Medio Tiempo, there is a mint note that slowly develops. In addition there is a red pepper like spice that exists along side a grilled steak note. The retrohale has some spice to it along with a subtle brown sugar sweetness.
The second third of the cigar continue to be meaty like the edges on a grilled steak. Around the halfway point of the cigar it becomes an incredible flavor bomb with touches of caramel, mocha, cedar and nuts, especially once you retrohale the cigar which takes things to the next level.
As the cigar comes to a close the mocha notes continue but remain an afterthough as the dominant profile is nutty, with a cedar finish. The retrohale is spicy, but there is a sweetness on the aroma once the spice passes that is reminiscent of brown sugar. .
The Finish: I said it before when I reviewed the Robusto a month ago. What really impressed me here was how the cigar kept building in complexity and flavor. If Vallejuello seems familiar to you, the original line was named best value cigar in a major publication earlier this decade. It is definitely box worthy, and two box worthy once you figure in the price.
Score: 93
Price: $8.39 (each) / $59.99 (a Box) / $99.99 (2 boxes)
Vallejuelo Medio Tiempo Robusto
Vallejuelo Medio Tiempo Robusto Foot
Vallejuelo Medio Tiempo Robusto Burn
