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Old 10-01-2017, 01:03 PM   #1
TommyBB
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IPCPR 2017 Review: Macanudo Inspirado Robusto.

Macanudo. There's a single word that brings so many different things to mind when cigar smokers see it or hear it. To me, I hear many different things in my minds. While memories of the recent past need coaxing, for whatever reason, Macanudo brings me right back to that time twenty years ago when I was just beginning this cigar journey. Who knew what it might become. Some years of reading, a few months of sneaking around as I didn't want to disappoint family and friends. Then once revealed, a blossoming enjoyment.

Many seasoned cigar lovers can count Macanudo as one of their "starter cigars" when first embarking on the journey, as I did. Some called them bubblegum cigars, or lightweights, or FOR lightweights due to their mild character. Many have stated they smoked them early and never returned. This I can assert, over the years, every single one of these I have smoked has brought me enjoyment, there is just the slightest hint of sweetness to the character overall. One certainty, they have always been impeccably constructed, and usually have one of the smoothest and most visually appealing Connecticut-shade wrapper leaves available in the world of fine cigars.

While many of us have developed more sophisticated palates, that may be able to handle much stronger cigars, often the Macanudo is lost, yet for some of us, it's still an old friend, bringing back the heady days of early conversion, as it were. Memories of Saturday morning trips to this tobacconist or that to pick up three or four cigars to have over the next week or so.

Time takes us all with it, and this year, at the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers, General Cigar brought forth a new extension to the Macanudo marque, the "Inspirado" (Inspired) White. This cigar has a white and silver band, and by calling it thus, my guess is over the next few years, we will see more Macanudo Inspirado blends, labeled by different color bands.

According to their website, this is the 5" x 50 Robusto, one of only three sizes in this line. It has that typical creamy-coffee colored, and smooth as anything Connecticut-shade wrapper from the tobacco fields of Ecuador. It's simply beautiful. The website indicates that the leaves have been aged for four years. This lovely-looking leaf surrounds a filler blend of "Nicaraguan Estelí and Mexican San Andrés leaves, each aged for four years." The binder leaf is aged Indonesian.

Enough of that let's light up, shall we?
The near-perfect, smooth, double cap cuts nicely in a Cigar Savor double-guillotine cutter, a companion for nearly 20 years! On a breezy afternoon, one match gets the cigar going, and, as with many offerings in 2017, there is an immediate punch of pepper spice, likely due to the heat of the flame, but present, nonetheless.

The draw is just the slightest bit tight as the cigar is a tad hard near the clip. It is putting off smoke, sitting in the ash tray between puffs. It's quite the Macanudo, not overly strong on its surface, but there is a bit of power underneath. The spice is already, after two or three draws, starting to lessen and smooth out. It's quite nice, more smoke on the draw than I expected, given the hard spot. I am inclined to like it here at the outset.

It's actually getting a bit heavy, already, you know that feeling in the back of your throat and the pit of your stomach, when there's more to it than you first thought? Yeah, I'm getting that, already. I like it.

One-eight of an inch into it, the burn is already straight, and I hear yelping from inside the house and Reese the Incontrovertibly Incontinent, Hearing-impaired Dachshund demands to come outside.



LOOK AT IT!!!
It's so pretty!



As we continue our time together, the smoke is generous, the flavor is quite nice, not overbearing, every inch a Macanudo but with a touch more flavor. Macanudo is a synonym for understated, refined flavor, and this is it. There is no harshness, no bitterness here.

UPDATE
The cigar is consistent, if nothing else, while many would decry the fact that the flavor hasn't developed, it was and is refined, so there's no real drawback to this phenomenon. It's a tasty, solid, cigar, burning straight and true. I get bits of earthiness and leather, which is not a bad thing at all, as the cigar is over an inch done, and about the same distance from the band, already.

DRAT.
It went out. Just like that, sitting there in the ash tray, I had to release that wonderful ash, and light it a second time, and it's back to its old self.

UPDATE

I am nearly to the band, now, and as I mentioned in the post, earlier, this is a consistent cigar, just as one might expect from a Macanudo When I smoke the second sample, I will add a post to this thread, IF there is more to the thread by that time. I recommend this cigar , and heartily so. It's a good cigar, worthy of the attention of all but the most die-hard strong cigar fans. Worthwhile.

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+In Memory of E.Guevara(Cubano67)W.Orlando(Shadow) A.Morris (Knife) D.Odom (dodom) D.Revermann (dgr) S.Bouchard (sb1396) M.Cole (Matt76) S.Faccenda (TOJE) R.Smith(IBMer) V.Vandermeer (van55)M.Davis(boxdoctor)S.Singer(bassman)K.Doetze l (drillrk1)D.Hart(garme1962)J.Coleman(John C 81)T.Gossett(Dartplayer1)J.Bolt (jb)E.J.Ferralles(CaballoPinto)M.Cataldo(FVFanMC)K Payne(SanchoPanza)F.Seltzer(Mowee)+LB+Connor Olson+Micah Kercheval+Maggie Bonefas+Karen



Last edited by TommyBB; 10-01-2017 at 01:30 PM. Reason: Updates
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