El cigar es muy bueno


Pinar 3000 Gran Belicoso 7 x 52 Natural

Wrapper: Cuban

Binder: Cuban

Filler: Cuban

 

I had my doubts about smoking pre-embargo tobacco.  I mean, this stuff was grown in 1958 which would make it 48 years old.  I read up on these cigars on the internet and they seem to have very good reviews in general.  There are two types of Pinar brands out there.  First, you have the Pinar 2000 which uses 70% Cuban tobacco and 30% Ecuadorian tobacco.  Then you have the Pinar 3000 series which is what I am reviewing today.  The Pinar 3000 are all Cuban Puro’s:  100% Cuban throughout the entire cigar.  They can be legally purchased in the states because the tobacco was brought to the states prior to the embargo being implemented by JFK in the early sixties.

 

If you would like to read more about how Pinar 3000 came into being, take a look at the site here.

 

Now for the review:

 

As I went to pick up this cigar at my local tobacco shop I brought along an employee of mine that is Cuban.  I wanted him to take a look at this baby and tell me what he thought.  He slowly pulled the cigar out of the humidor and brought it to his nose.  Yes, the smell was that of a superbly aged Cuban puro.  Frankly, I wish I could get an air freshener that smells like that; a rich, smooth, vibrant scent that bringsto mind the fertile Pinar valley where the cigar was created.

 

The cigar looks beautiful.  A great wrapper was used on my Belicoso.  I didn’t notice any protruding veins or any cut marks on the tobacco. It was nice and firm to the touch, yet soft enough that you knew it was humidified properly.  I laid out $15 for this cigar, so I was expecting a lot from it.  I know that I mentioned the smell of the cigar earlier, but I can’t help but bring it up again.  I have found that when a cigar smells this delicious it is almost always a superb cigar.  I wasn’t mistaken either. It is a great cigar.

 

The ash held on quite well and it had a nice brown ring around it that has to be ¼ of an inch.  It shows its superb aging.  The cigar is packed properly with just the right amount of tobacco to produce a smooth easy dray and plenty of rich Cuban smoke. Okay, the ash only held on for an inch.  I just dropped the ashes on my laptop…crap…..

 

Well, with 48 years of aging, I don’t think you will ever have any problem with the cigar being harsh.  In fact, it is one of the smoothest cigars I have ever tasted.  The oils on the leaf make this cigar a delight to smoke.  It burns slowly, but evenly.  It has a full taste to it, yet not overpowering.  The makers of Pinar 3000 have bought up over 40,000 lbs of premium pre-embargo tobacco so they look to be in business for a while.  You should expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $17 a stick for these, but they are worth it. These cigars are legal, good, and less expensive than trying to smuggle one in from Cuba or take a chance on some internet company that says they sell “real Cuban cigars” to the US. As long as the US gov’t keeps on with this stupid embargo, you can enjoy the taste of a premium Cuban legally.  You just have to buy the old stuff.