H.Upmann Royal Robusto (review)

       I hadn't tried this cigar yet believe it or not, so I was looking forward to it. This cigar was slightly firm to the touch and looked a little bumpy with an almost veinless, dark wrapper. It wasn't the prettiest looking cigar. The pre-light draw tasted a little nutty. Once lit, the draw was slightly firm with a medium body. The burn started a little uneven and continued that way until about the first inch. I wasn't liking the start of this cigar. The draw was a little tight and I wasn't getting too much smoke out of it. After the first inch however, the burn straightened out and the cigar opened up. Now it was smoking great with a perfect draw, a little creamy, toasty and woody but all very slight, a mild cigar for my taste but not bland. A typical Upmann flavour. Started to pick up strength at about the halfway mark but I noticed a change in the draw so I flicked the ash to find it burning faster in the center so I touched up the outside with my torch. At this point the cigar was still tasting great but at about 1/3 to the end the flavours started to get a bit harsh, the draw became a bit tighter and it started to burn a bit hotter. It even went out on me at this point. It open up again shortly after that and started to taste good again but being near the end the cigar began to get a little bitter. The last third was a rollercoaster, going from good to bad every few draws. Although this cigar is mature for it's age, I believe it can use a little time to rest. All in all, a good smoke. It wouldn't be on the top of my list of cigars to buy but I'm looking forward to smoking one down the road to see how it changes.