Macanudo Inspirado Orange Robusto Tubo. “O” My that’s a long name! But then again this is no “O”rdinary cigar. Ok I’m done punning around, it’s back to business. This cigar is a multinational blend of Olancho San Augustin wrapper, an Honduran Jamastran binder and filler of Dominican Republic (Olor and Piloto Cubano), Honduras (Jamastran), and Nicaragua (Ometepe).
Macanudo is one of the most notable and venerable brands in the cigar market. This once family owned business built a brand profile that customers come to recognize. In 1968 Macanudo sold to General Cigar Co and is believed to be their most prestigious brand within General’s portfolio. Joseph Cullman Jr, son of entrepreneur Ferdinand Cullman in the mid 19th century, tried a radical new idea of planting Habano seeds in Connecticut.
Now all of this sounds fancy but I’m not here to tickle your fancy, I’m here to give you the truth of my smoking experience. Let’s start with the look. The wrapper is stretched evenly but there are some bumps and veins noticible. The band has a striking appeal with the orange and gold and red playing off one another. The cap is adhered well and overall look is promising. I take a cold draw and notice strong hints of hickory and caramel and peanuts; reminiscent of going to the county fair.
It’s reasonably priced at just shy of 9 dollars, which is a comparable rate to most cigars in this class. So far things are looking good, then I light the end and take a few puffs. I notice the draw is on the tighter side and the smoke produces a short finish. After about an inch or so the ash begins to flake and disintegrate potentially dropping in your lap if you are not careful. The smoke was smooth throughout the retrohale but it burns fairly quickly because you have to draw it more often to keep it lit. About a third down you get this aroma of burnt peanuts and perhaps barn wood. It just seems like it should have gone through a few more trials before being released. With a recipe this complex and flexible there should be enough room for a more enjoyable experience even with an acceptable margin for error.
I am, however, a fan of multinational blends because you get to sample different countries and how they compliment one another. Similar to a red wine blend, it appeals to a larger audience and more likely to be enjoyed by most. With this cigar though, my first impression was not the most favorable one. I think this cigar has great potential and worthy of trying again and hopeful to be proven wrong.
Don't just take my word for it this is just my experience, I encourage you to smoke it yourself for your own conclusion. To give this cigar a fair shake, I will smoke a second one to confirm my assessment. I challenge you to smoke this same cigar and write back to me on your own review and we can see who’s right and who’s righter.
*(https://is.gd/ujN0AZ)