375. Vegueros Centrofinos

2019-08-29/ ANDREDIAS95

Supplied by Mellgrens Fine Tobacco.

Location: This review was made indoors in Mellgrens Fine Tobacco’s cigar lounge.

Information:
Vegueros is a post-revolution Habanos SA brand started in 1997.
The range comprises tobacco from the premium Vuelta Abajo region in Cuba.
Wrapper: Cuba.
Binder: Cuba.
Filler: Cuba.

Size: 5×52, Robusto (Centrifinos).

Wrapper: Milk chocolate, smooth with tiny veins.

Construction: Firm even feel when lightly squeezed.

Cold draw: Hay.

1st third: Starts with a sweet biscuit note, slight chocolate note.

2nd third: Keeps the same, but with a light white pepper note.

Burn: Firm and stable gray ash with a sharp burn.

Smoke: Light smoke, with a cool feeling on the tongue and a light draw.

3rd third: Keeps the same flavours from part 2.

Duration: 15:55-17:00, 1h 5min.

Conclusion: A medium bodied cigar with a medium strength profile.

Result: In my book this is an 88 point cigar.

/Cigar Reviewer André

“The Vegueros Centrofinos”…

“The what?” tends to be the reply I receive whenever I mention this particular brand and vitola to fellow cigar smokers. It appears few people have heard of or pay much attention to the Vegueros brand. This is to be expected (to a degree) as they don’t normally feature amongst the bigger more well know brands like Montecristo, Cohiba and Partagas. Because of this, those that have heard of them tend to cast them aside as cheap or inferior Cubans. One such person telling me that they believed Vegueros cigars are machine made short filler cigars. They certainly are a cheaper cigar than some other brands of similar sizes but don’t let this fool you. They are handmade, with long filler and I have found the Vegueros Centrofinos to be a simply outstanding smoke.

Initial appearances of the packaging suggest a more modern and simplistic approach. A white and black box/tin with a green V adorning the front of it rather than the fancy artwork and colours you come to expect from Ramon Allones or Romeo Y Julieta dress boxes. Again, this appearance probably adding to the stigma that Vegueros cigars are inferior to other brands.

However, upon taking one out of a 2019 tin, I was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful looking cigar with expert looking construction. A neat triple cap at the head end of the cigar, with tight and well wrapped seams of the wrapper leaf consistent in colour all the way down from the head to the foot.

Looking at the foot, the binder and filler leaves are well proportioned with no obvious signs of a tight or a loose pack suggesting a good draw is to be experienced upon cutting.

I decided to go with a V cut and the cold draw was indeed superb with just the right amount of resistance for my liking. No heavy sucking was needed and the unlit taste suggested notes of earth, tobacco and fresh cedar.

The Centrofinos lit very well and the burn was very neat and uniformed around the full circumference of the cigar. The first few draws continued with the earth and cedar notes that I tasted from the cold draw but with quite a strong white pepper spiciness on the retrohale. Not unpleasant at all and reminiscent of a Partagas Serie D No. 4.

This continued through the first third with an excellent burn and draw before the white pepper spice began to mellow out into the second third. The flavours didn’t transition much but I didn’t view this negatively at all as I was quite enjoying it the way it was. Instead, the lovely earthiness and rich cedar wood notes continued with perhaps a hint of salty cocoa in the background. Draw and burn continued very well just as it had started and the smoke continued to be received as cool to mildly warm.

The final third again didn’t transition much but the flavours became stronger as the stick shortened and the smoke temperature rose slightly. I removed the modern looking band and the white pepper spiciness returned on the retrohale.

I finally laid the nub to rest and sat back in amazement at the full experience. For a cigar that is slightly longer than a Robusto but can be had for around £20 (at the time of purchasing) this was an excellent cigar. The construction, appearance, taste, burn and draw could have easily cost more from a more recognised brand and there wasn’t any element of unpleasantness throughout.

Fortunately I bought a full tin of 16 Centrofinos so had plenty more to enjoy. I have now smoked 9 of these and each has been very consistent and as enjoyable as the next.

Overall thoughts of this cigar are that they are very underrated and don’t get the attention that they probably deserve. They are excellent value for money and worthy of any cigar smoker’s time.

I am now looking forward to trying the other vitolas from the Vegueros range because if they are as good as the Centrofinos, they will be amongst the best value for money handmade, long filler Cuban cigars on the market.

Try one. I am convinced that very few people won’t enjoy this cigar. A positively consistent, well made cigar that ticks all the right boxes for a good 60 minute smoke.