Cubao Maduro Belicoso

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My cigar geek was busy last week knocking down prices on old stuff to make way for new. One of these was the Cubao Maduro Belicoso, knocked down to four bucks. He knows I don't like pepper, that's what turns me off to maduro. So he suggested I try one of these. He never steers me wrong.

This belicoso was 5 1/2" long and 52 gauge with a torpedo end. Dark chocolate color, fine grained wrapper with zero veins. Oily. Smelled like coffee and barn. Had a somewhat salty coffee flavor unlit. Tight tight tight throughout. Had two tight paper bands, and each was a chore and a half to remove. When I tried to tear one off, it would delaminate instead. Sat there picking and picking at it. The end trimmed off okay; but from the time I trimmed it to the time I set it down an hour and a half later, it shed one shred after another. Tight draw tasting of coffee and leather; the kind of draw that collapses your cheeks.


Two matches to light this beast. Tough draw. Reluctant to burn. Required frequent puffing. But it did stay lit throughout. Plenty of coffee flavor. About fifteen minutes in, someone poured cream in the coffee. Imagine strong maduro flavor without the bite of pepper, getting stronger and smoother as you go. Whenever I tasted too much bitter espresso, I'd take a hit of lemonade, and that was the perfect compliment to this. Tried retrohaling, but that was too harsh for my nose. Filled the room with the odor of coffee grounds too strong and clinging too long to be a good indoor smoke. Surprisingly for such a tight stick, it ashed about every fifteen minutes. I hit it for an hour and a quarter -- if it hadn't been so tight, I could have nursed it longer. I feel like the tight construction prevented me from burning it leisurely enough to produce the best flavor. Seems like too frequent hitting makes too long a cherry, doesn't allow the flavor to develop. Even so, a tasty tube of uppowoc.

No discernible stinkfinger. Maybe if it hadn't stunk up the room I would have noticed. Flavorvul morning mouth. No wheeze.

I rate this three and a half stars. Another one might be better built and rate higher. Might have just bumped into a tight one.

allsmokedup

Hmm, interesting... was this from the Otter's pocket?

I've only had the natural Cubao which is a dark enough Oscuro that it's easy to mistake for a Maduro, and just as tasty. Quite a pity that Thompson's has the rights for these for online retailers. I'll have to look around for a few of these as stores phase them out of stock.

webmost

allsmokedup:

Hmm, interesting... was this from the Otter's pocket?

I've only had the natural Cubao which is a dark enough Oscuro that it's easy to mistake for a Maduro, and just as tasty. Quite a pity that Thompson's has the rights for these for online retailers. I'll have to look around for a few of these as stores phase them out of stock.

No no. As I said, this was suggested by one of my cigar geeks at my regular B&M. I need a friendly nickname for that place, like the Geeks' Lair or some such. The real name of the place is a real turn-off: Cigar-ette City. No leather couches, no expensive rosewood humidors, just plank shelving from the Home Despot, and stock stock stacks of stock.

Tough for me to get by the place. If I do, you want me to score you some?

allsmokedup

webmost:

allsmokedup:

Hmm, interesting... was this from the Otter's pocket?

I've only had the natural Cubao which is a dark enough Oscuro that it's easy to mistake for a Maduro, and just as tasty. Quite a pity that Thompson's has the rights for these for online retailers. I'll have to look around for a few of these as stores phase them out of stock.

No no. As I said, this was suggested by one of my cigar geeks at my regular B&M. I need a friendly nickname for that place, like the Geeks' Lair or some such. The real name of the place is a real turn-off: Cigar-ette City. No leather couches, no expensive rosewood humidors, just plank shelving from the Home Despot, and stock stock stacks of stock.

Tough for me to get by the place. If I do, you want me to score you some?

Thanks for the offer, but I just discovered that I pass within 5 miles of their locations in Maryland every day. I'm sure I can find some there. I also heard that Cigar-ette City is having some Cigar festival at the racetrack on Sept 15th.