Cigar Review: RoMa Craft Tobac CRAFT 2013 La Campaña de Panamá Soberana

RoMaCraft 2013 La Campaña de Panamá SoberanaVitola: Trompeta
Size: 5″ x 46/60 ring gauge
Price $15.00
Obtained From: Purchased at Maxamar’s

Background

Today I’ll be taking a look at the first limited edition to come out on the RoMa Craft Tobac line.  They are a relative newcomer to the cigar would, being in business a little over three years, but they have had a pretty large impact.  It started off small and I remember when Skip first put the samplers of the CroMagnon up for sale and very much enjoying the cigar once I got it in the mail.  Today I’m taking a look at the CRAFT 2013 La Campaña de Panamá Soberana (wow that’s a mouthful). It is manufactured in their factory in Nicaragua completely without molds.  That means that all of the cigars are going to be slightly different.  It also means that there is a limited number of these cigars out there.  This first run was 1000 10-count boxes with 9 of the cigars in the box having a closed foot and one with a traditional foot.  I don’t understand the reasoning for the different types of foot, because if it was up to me they would all be traditional.  The tobaccos in this cigar are a mix of the ones in their four regular lines.  The fillers are from Nicaragua and Cameroon, a Connecticut Broadleaf binder, with a Ecuadorian Connecticut & Brazilian Ariparaca wrapper.  This review cigar was my first experience with this cigar.

Prelight

The cigar is a striking looking trompeta.  The wrapper is a reddish brown in color with some golden streaks to it.  The wrapper also had some oils and a good amount of tooth to it.  The veins were noticeable but didn’t detract from it in my opinion.  The tobacco “bands” at the bottom of the cigar kind of reminded me of the ones on the CroMagnon line with the light background and dark foreground.  When I put my nose to the wrapper I detected the light aroma of leather with intense barnyard coming from the foot.  When I gave it a squeeze it was fairly firm without any soft spots.  After clipping it and taking a cold draw on it I noted hints of wood, sugary sweetness and cinnamon with a good draw.

Flavor

The cigar starts off with flavors of chocolate, leather, and cinnamon with a good amount of spice on the tongue and retrohale.  The spice did tone down a bit after about a quarter of an inch in.  Towards the end of the first third I started to get a sugary sweetness on the finish along with hints of curry and cola thrown in.  The cigar started off in the medium-full range in regards to strength and body.  As I moved into the second third the flavors changed a bit to coffee, earth, leather and cinnamon with the sweet finish continuing.  The spice did start to come back but it was mainly on the tongue.  The strength built into the full range and I started to get a slight nicotine hit from it as well.  As I got into the final third the sweetness intensified with flavors of chocolate, leather, cinnamon coming from it.  The spice continued to build in this third as well.  The cigar was definitely in the full bodied range and I was getting a pretty good nicotine hit from it by the end.

Construction

The construction was just about perfect.  The draw was just great and it produced a very large volume of smoke.  The burn line was a bit ragged bit the wind was gusting a bit while I was out smoking it.

Value

Coming from a company where the rest of the cigars are well under $10 I was a little surprised when I first heard about this cigar last year.  After smoking it and finding about the work that goes into it I can sort of understand the extra cost, but I still think it is a bit expensive.

Conclusions

Overall I really enjoyed this cigar.  However I wouldn’t recommend it to someone not use to smoking a full strength cigar.  I’m very glad I was able to pick up a box of these.  I just hope I can let them sit to see how age is to them.  If you’re interested in picking up some for yourself our sponsor Small Batch Cigar has them in stock.  I look forward to seeing what their 2014 limited edition will be.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10

Keith Hollar

Keith has been a cigar enthusiast since 2003 and it's rumored that he remembers details about every single cigar he's ever smoked. He wrote for Tiki Bar Online for four years before co-founding Leaf Enthusiast. Twitter: @Keith1911

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5 Responses

  1. John Gemmellaro says:

    I have liked whatever I have had the opportunity to try from RoMa Craft Tobac. They produce some quality products.

  2. czerbe says:

    I had one of these in my hands the other day when I was down seeing Gary from Emilio and I put it back and picked up another couple of sticks… wont lie… price made me put it back.. now I kind of wish I had picked it up… Oh well

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