Vitola: Corona Gorda- 5.625” x 46 ring gauge
- MSRP $11.50
- Samples provided by Cubariqueño Cigar Company
Background
In mid-May I received an email from Juan Cancel, the owner of Protocol Cigars. I had heard of Protocol, but hadn’t found them available in any of the stores I have been in during the last couple years, so I had not actually tried them yet. Juan asked if I wanted to review some of their blends and (of course) I said, “Yes!” I ended up getting samples of practically their entire line…and since there haven’t been that many other new releases hitting my local shop’s shelves lately, you’re going to see a lot of this brand over the next 4 to 6 weeks.
I’m starting off the Protocol Party with Sir Robert Peel in the “Natural” wrapper. This line debuted at the 2019 IPCPR trade show in a single box-pressed toro size, but recently they added a non-pressed Corona Gorda. According to the report on Cigar-Coop, the Sir Robert Peel was intended to be Protocol’s most premium line. It is made in Erik Espinosa’s La Zona factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.
The blend is named after an English statesman who served as Prime Minister and Home Secretary, as well as being regarded as the “father of modern British policing, owing to his founding of the Metropolitan Police Service.” Many of the Protocol blends have a “law enforcement” theme and this is the first release from them that honors a legendary lawman. It uses Nicaraguan filler and binder leaves, along with an Ecuadorian Rosado wrapper.
This review is based on the second of this blend that I have smoked. Both samples were provided by Cubariqueño Cigar Company.
Prelight
The Sir Robert Peel has a band design unlike anything else in the Protocol lineup. It’s a very classic-style band with tons of shiny gold oil, dark red accents, and a full-color portrait of the man the blend is name for. It’s one of those that if you gave it someone new to cigars and said the blend had been around for 40 years, the look of it would probably convince them you were being truthful. There was also a gold ribbon on the foot. The whole thing looked very stately and nice.
The wrapper leaf was a peanut butter medium brown color with a moderate amount of oiliness and an aroma that mixed barnyard earthiness with hay. The foot had a riper earthiness and more of a cedar side-note to it.
The prelight draw was excellent and featured flavors of cedar and earth, along with a touch of sweet hay.
Flavor
Sir Robert Peel started with an arresting amount of red pepper on the palate and sinuses. Subsequent puffs brought out a good amount of cedar and citrus, along with just enough earth and sweetness in the mix. The retrohale was nutty as well as very peppery. The start of this blend was definitely complex and rich, producing a very nice medium-bodied smoke in the process. By midway through the first third, the pepper had toned down, allowing notes of hay and roasted nuts to come through. The cedar and citrus notes held steady just below the surface.
The second third featured a stronger nutty flavor with additional sweetness that was hard to define. Sweet hay? Maybe…but also maybe a touch of sweet citrus. The pepper notes kept a steady background burn going on.
The last third burned a little fast down to the nub, but it was so good I almost didn’t notice that it was getting a bit hot. More nuttiness and more sweetness, along with steady pepper, was the name of the game here.
Construction
I had a great draw, very even burn line, and solid ash.
Value
The price is a little higher than the other Protocol lines, but the experience is great, so I definitely say it’s worth the price of admission.
Conclusions
Sir Robert Peel Natural was an excellent introduction to the Protocol lineup. I’ve had one of everything so far, if I’m not mistaken, and I think it’s my favorite, to be honest. It had a pleasing flavor profile with enough complexity to be interesting the entire length of the cigar, with plenty of wood, spice, and nutty notes along the way, as well as that great subtle sweetness to amp it up every further.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10
