Labels

My Thanksgiving Cigar: Cabaiguan Guapos RX

By Gary Korb

I wasn't sure I'd get to smoke a Thanksgiving cigar yesterday, but miraculously the weather cooperated with no rain and a temperature of about 60 degrees. As last year, I spent the holiday with my family at my brother's house in New Jersey. I arrived about 3:15 PM with a Cabaiguan Guapos RX, and didn't waste much time getting outside to light-up, since the sun was already positioned just above the horizon.

The Cabaiguan Guapos RX is a 5¼" x 50 Robusto that came in a Pete Johnson Collection cigar sampler (below) I bought at Famous Smoke Shop this past summer. The difference between the Guapos RX and the Cabaiguan Robusto Extra is that the Guapos has a Cuban pigtail cap. The core is all dark Nicaraguan longfiller with a silky Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, and beautifully handcrafted by Don Jose Pepin Garcia.

Pairing it with a glass of The Macallan 12 year single malt, the cigar cued-up perfectly offering some sweetness and a short blast of pepper. At about the half-inch mark, the smoke rounded out to a very smooth, sweet, woody smoke with a medium body.

The ash was also impressive, hanging on for well over an inch before falling off. From that point on the smoke was very consistent, not wavering too far from its sweet-woody base. However, by the end of the second act the smoke acquired a distinct nutmeg flavor with some grassy notes, which remained into the last third.

I would classify the Cabaiguan Gaupos RX as a medium-bodied, full-flavored cigar with a mix of woody, sweet-spice and herbal flavors. The Macallan helped bring out some of the more complex elements in the smoke, too. Overall, an extremely enjoyable cigar, and highly recommended.

Scores
Appearance - 9
Construction - 9
Draw - 9
Burn - 10
Flavor - 9
Balance - 9
Aroma - 8
Total Score: 9.0

How was your Thanksgiving cigar?
Email Post
Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
I keep hearing people say good things about Cabaiguans yet my experience with a 5-pack of nude (no cello) Cabaiguan belicosos (purchased for about $50 from Famous about a year ago) was very disappointing. I smoked the first stick after 2 weeks in my humidor and it was so much of a let down that I decided to let the rest for another 6-8 months which, incidently, didn't help. Each cigar's wrapper reminded me of an "onion skin" (extremely thin and delicate)-- a CT wrapper that either unraveled, split or burst apart on four of my five cigars, which, needless to say, made my Cabaiguan experience one I will likely not repeat. It's sad to see on cigars that sell for more that $10 a stick and certainly not something that, if I were Pepin Garcia, I would be at all proud of.
November 28, 2009 at 3:11 PM
CigarAdvisor said…
Sorry to read about your bad experience with the Cabaiguans. True, the leaves are very delicate. Although I can't speak for the Belicoso, since I haven't smoked it, from what you describe, it could have been the cigars were a bit too moist, or just came from an odd, funky box. You might want to try one again in another shape.
December 1, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Anonymous said…
This Thanksgiving I was rushing out of the house to see my Dad, Grabbed a 2yr old Montecristo Villanueva glass tube along with some bourbon.

It smoked even, slow, nice, but was too mild. I may take the few left out of the glass.

Next day..after some turkey leftovers I looked thru the humidor I keep filled @ Dads house, found a 601 Red..

Moral of the story..keep Dad filled with great cigars !

DW. from TX
December 2, 2009 at 1:51 AM
Post a Comment

Popular Posts