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Casa Magna Robusto Review

Louie

New Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
60
Casa Magna
Size: 5 1/2" x 52 Robusto
Wrapper: Cuban seed Colorado wrapper
Binder and Filler: Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium to Full

Yesterday I had a meeting to go to in Charlotte. I had about 30 minutes to kill and I had planned to stop by a local B&M cigar store that I frequent when I am in the area. Much to my suprise, I drove by another new upscale cigar store/ cigar club. Well, needless to say and much to my wife's dismay, I had to stop in. Well, they had a decent selection there and the prices weren't too bad. The nice cougar sales lady that greeted me directed me to their humidor. Inside, I discovered they had several sizes of the Casa Magna. The sales lady asked if I had one and I said," No." She then said, "It was Cigar Aficiando's cigar of the year." I said, "Oh really". I looked at the Casa Magna and it looked pretty good. Also, the price was right, $5.95, for the robusto. I thought," I'll give it a try." I was also able to find some Oliva Serie V and O torpedos :thumbs: . The nice cougar sales lady also said that Don Pepin Garcia was there last month, I was then bummed, since I am a Peppin whore. So, I signed up for their email list, because some other cigar makers are planned to make apperances this summer (Manuel Quesada, maker of Casa Magna is there next month). I decided I would probably go back, just to see the sales lady, haha. :love: Anyway, on to the review......

When I got home and had eaten super, I got one of the Casa Magna robustos out that I had purchased. Upon closely inspecting it I noticed that the Colorado wrapper was slightly oily and had a nice tooth to it. There were a few blemishes, but nothing major. The cigar was nicely packed and was firm all over.

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I clipped the end with my double bladed cutter. The cigar's end cap cut well and inside I could see a nicely rolled stick. The pre light draw was good. Not to loose or to hard. The taste was that of cedar and white pepper.

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The cigar wasn't real easy to light, but once lit it tasted good! There was a rush of the pre light cedar and white pepper, plus I noticed a touch of chocolate that was kind of sweet. The cigar starts off with a medium flavor that is very creamy. The ash is a medium gray and holds together nicely. I notice that I have to put effort into getting a decent amount of smoke though.

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The second 1/3, I noticed it was becoming increasingly more difficult to draw a decent amount of smoke. It was like the cigar was too wet. it could have been the humidity level of the B&M's humidor. The cigar seemed to want to go out, but I managed to keep it going for about 15 minutes, untill I had to touch it up. The cigar began to get stronger and moved to a more full flavor. Cedar dominated this 1/3, with more white pepper and the chocolatte was still there. Also, I noticed that the ash began to flower out as well, but it still held well.

The final 1/3, the cigar was becoming increasingly more difficult to smoke and I had to re-light the cigar 3 more times. The flavor was still strong and now there was a strong flavor of aged tobacco, leather, and cedar. I was starting to feel a little buzz. This cigar was definetly on the strong side, but not overpowering. It was a good smoke and I am glad that I bought another one to rest in my humi for a few months. I think the trouble with maintaining the light was just overhumidifcation. I read the Cigar Afficinado 93 rating article, but I couldn't give this cigar that high of rating though. Maybe an 89, but what do I know. :D Perhaps, my second Casa Magna robusto will be a better one to judge this well made cigar.


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Louie...my understanding is that once this stick got the number one rating...demand went crazy. My B&M said the next couple batch's would probably be "wet". I bought some 3 months ago that had the same issue as you. I'm letting them sit to dry out a bit. I don't think what happened to you is uncommon as I have read that here a few times and as I said it has happened to a few of mine.

Let them sit for a bit..it really is a nice cigar when it is smoking well.

Nice review.
 
It was disappointing. I think after it rests for 6 months it will be alot better. I shall see! How did I do for my first review? :thumbs: I was inspired aftering reading all of Kingantz's great reviews! :thumbs:
 
Great review! :) That is a shame about the draw issues though, and it indeed does sound like the stick was over humidified. I bet your next one is perfect. I've yet to try the Casa Magna line, but every time I go to Taylor's they are bugging me to try it out. I guess I need to man up and do it, based off your review. Sounds like they will be damn good smokes!
 
I would definitely say that was overhumidification that caused the cigar to burn like that. I've smoked a couple of the robusto and have so far thoroughly enjoyed them down to the nub. I've got a full box I plan to let sit for a couple few years as I believe they're going to be excellent smokes once the tobacco has really settled/melded together. Excellent cigars IMO! And, excellent review!
 
I agree with Kingantz. I have an open box that i bought back in October before the ratings came out. It smoked nice right out of the box. and it is even better now (had one last night). I have one more that i bought in January that i plan on letting sit for a good while. Heck after the one i had last night i am thinking about picking up a second box of them and letting them sit as well!. They are cheap enough I will just put them in the humidor that i keep my Padron x000's in for aging and i can look at them without regeret. Tried aging more expensive cigars but have always had a problem letting an expensive box sit!
 
I think it was a great review... and I think these are great cigars. I smoked about 6 or 7 of them, and only one of them had some burn issues, along with a draw issue. The rest were good.
 
Nice review bud, I noticed a few of them at my local b&m but didnt pay much attention. Ill have to try a few out now, Ill tell them to send you the sales comission.
 
Great review Louie! Although I'm going to give the Casa Magna Colorado robusto cigar a negative review myself. Last Tuesday I went to my local cigar lounge as usual and I was ready to smoke a Oliva Serie V Torpedo as I was looking to the whole selection I said to myself, "about trying something different?", I asked the sales person what would he recommend and he asked me what I usually smoke and I said "Oliva" then he said you might want to try the Casa Magna. So i grab one after he told me the whole Cigar Aficionado review. All I want to say is that I thought it was a boring cigar. It started nice and tasty but towards the second third I was just not happy at all. Maybe I had already sat my mind for an Oliva but the casa Magna was just not the cigar I wanted. But like a my cigar mentor says "It's up to every individual, what you like and how you feel."
 
The "new" batch, or the ones that came out after the rating, are darker then the older ones. Also, I think the older ones are better. Maybe these newer ones will get better with age, but the ones that were out before the rating were definitely better, IMO. But I don't think these are bad.
 
I smoked a Casa Magna corona that I had for about 2 months the other day. It also went out several times and was difficult to smoke. My rh is always at 65% at 70 degrees, so I know it's not my humidor. I still have another robusto and maybe I will try it next year. Overall, I won't buy anymore of these for now.
 
I just smoked one of the Robustos that I had in the humi for about a month. I got the same results as far as burn and draw. At first the they were really good, then the draw tightened up, and I had to relight a couple times. When it stayed lit the burn was relatively even. You could tell after ashing that the construction was just OK (No pointed cherry to it).

With all this said, this stick is still awesome. It was very complex, was bursting with sweet flavors, and thick/full smoke. It might be that my last smoke was a RP Edge Lite Battalion (6 x 60, mild, good but not complex) but this cigar was great and worthy of it's high ratings. I wouldn't give it the #1 slot again because of the burn/construction issues, but it deserves to be in the CA Top 25 again. I would rate this in the low 90's. If it didn't have the burn and draw issues then it would be a classic.

BTW...what causes the wrapper to flower like that when it burns? I had the same thing happen, not as bad, but I noticed it.
 
I smoked a few of the robusto's, and altogether good smokes for the $ I don't think it is the best cigar of last year (according to CA).
Just my 0,02$ :D

btw, very good review and pictures :thumbs:

Rene
 
Nice review Louie. I had the same stick several weeks ago and felt the same way about the draw. I even clipped mine twice as I thought maybe I had not opened it enough. I ended up using a toothpick to open it up more. I will say the Casa Magna had a taste that I had never had before, and was very robust for sure. I wouldn't hesitate to get another one, I just hope I don't have the same problem with the draw, it really took away from the quality and enjoyment of the smoke.
 
I never smoke a cigar I just bought at a B&M with the possible exception of a freshly opened, newly acquired box. Also, the longer I've smoked the more convinced I've become that most B&Ms, and cigar smokers in general, over-humidify their cigars.

Over-humidification affects taste, draw, and burn - and sometimes 65% is still a tad too high.
 
I will say the Casa Magna had a taste that I had never had before, and was very robust for sure.

I thought the same thing...it was great. A truly distinct flavor profile that I haven't had before. What ever tobacco blend they're using, keep doing it. Just work out the construction problems.

I really think this cigar deserved the top ranking, because the reviewed cigars didn't have the construction problems we're experiencing otherwise it wouldn't have beat out so many classics for the #1 spot. I just think were the beneficiaries of the product demand after the CA Ranking. Quesada unfortunately tried to make so many to meet the demand that the construction suffered.
 
I picked up 2 of these at the B&M yesterday. I'm not worried if the live up tot he #1 hype, but do hope they are solid full bodied cigars, especially for the price. I'll weigh in with my opinion afterward.
 
I really did like the flavor of the cigar. That being said, I find it highly difficult to smoke when a cigar continues to go out 5 or 6 times. I can always grab an inexpensive Oliva V,O,or G and have zero burn issues and the flavor is great! I think Casa Magna's first batch was probably made properly, but after that the demand skyrocketed, which led to their construction issues. I hope they fix their problems, because their mixing of tobaccos is superb.
 
Thanks for the great review Louie. Good reading. I have been interested in trying one of these sticks, but unfortunately, haven't found any at my local B&M, nor at several others that I have visited. The price is incredibly reasonable as you have pointed out. If CA is right in their rating (which I have to admit, I do take with a grain of salt), these could be seriously quality smokes for the money.
 
Great review! That is one I have been wanting to try. Love the addition of pictures too! Almost makes one feel like they were there! :rolleyes:

Thanks again!
 
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