Trinidad Robusto T, OVS DIC 09 (TVQVRW)

[Guest Nekhyludov]

This is an exemplary Trinidad. The wrapper is a rich, tawny colorado color, with a fine texture and a bit of sheen. Exactly what I still look for on the best Fundadores, Vigias, and La Trovas. The cold aroma is light and smells of clean, sweet tobacco. Construction is perfectly firm, giving just slightly when squeezed. It ignites well and produces a perfect draw, and a dark grey stack of nickels ash.

The very first draw makes the profile obvious. It's creamy and savory, with a strong mineral note. Over the course of the first third, that profile rounds into a few distinct, identifiable flavors - salty mineral and graphite, malty sweetness, and a buttery nougat note on the retrohale.

By the midpoint, some of the sweetness has ... not quite receded, but rather evolved and become richer. At this stage, the savory mineral and buttery, oily cream dominate, and that's where the sweetness seems to have gone. If not for that lingering sweetness, I would peg this as a truffle oil kind of richness, but it isn't that dry. While the savory mineral is more or less what I get from any quality Cuban tobacco from this era, the additional richness is all Trinidad.

Despite a slight waver in the burn, the performance of the Robo T has been excellent, with no touch-up needed.

The final third sees the sweet notes finally disappear, as the profile becomes dryer, but remains as rich. It's profoundly savory, with an added note that tastes the way good, cold-pressed olive oil smells.

It's easy to see why these are so sorely missed - it's a wonderful cigar. But it's also perfectly in line with the fantastic recent Trinidad's, specifically the La Trova, so in this one case, I don't feel as though I'm missing out on anything.

Let's call it 96 points.

[Habana Mike]

Greats smoke. Nice review

 

[nKostyan]

An excellent review of the epic cigar

[RDB]

Great review, thanks. Gets at the Trinidad transitions really well. Olive oil! Yes!