Price: $3 – $4.50

Size: Torpedo 6.5″ x 52

Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut Shade

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican

First Impression: The Pinar Del Rio Clasico looks nice. The attractive ribbon and ornate band really give it a pleasant boutique look. The foot gives off a spicy sweet aroma and the well constructed body has a raw cowhide smell. The Clasico is light in the hand and only has a couple of veins along its nutty brown Connecticut Shade wrapper.

1st Third: This cigar started off very nutty and creamy from the first draw. The smoke was ample from the beginning but it was also the slightest bit harsh. You can definitely tell that you are smoking a mild stick right away though. There is a good amount of clean white smoke which is incredibly light. The burn was nice and even bit a bit fast and the ash is an attractive light gray. The draw is slightly loose, but not unpleasantly so. The wrapper leaves a nice airy nutty aftertaste on the lips.

2nd Third: This is where the cigar got really pleasant. The bit of harshness that was present is now gone and the smoke has grown in flavor. The nuttiness died down and was replaced by leather, aged tobacco, and a light green peppercorn finish. There is a greater volume of smoke, but it maintains its curiously light texture. The burn still gets top marks as it is very clean. Unfortunately this section is also where the binder split but it didn’t harm the draw or the overall quality of the smoke.

Final Third: The cigar shifted away from the nutty and pepper side and now a pleasant sweet oak flavor is coming through mixed with the leather and cream from before. It was in this last section that the smoke actually got a little heavier and the body shifted from mild to medium. Unfortunately, the wrapper started to unravel on me in this last portion and the binder split became deeper which actually started to make the burn go wonky. I ended up putting it out early because it was starting to get messy but I would have taken this one to the nub.

Conclusion: If the Pinar Del Rio were any more mild in the beginning I would have my doubts that I was actually smoking a cigar. Even the smoke of which there was a good amount was so light it was barely there. For the mild body lover this cigar should be a really enjoyable smoke. That being said, it was still apparent that I was smoking a cigar on the cheaper end of the spectrum. The flavors were very pleasant but it was harsh at times and the splitting binder and unraveling wrapper really lost this cigar some points. However, the flavors were all nicely balanced and the building complexity was quite enjoyable. I think that with a good amount of aging this cigar could become a great smooth and tasty cigar, especially for a cheaper price point.

I give this cigar a 4 out of 5

Notes: Nuts, Leather, Aged Tobacco, Sweet Cedar, Green Peppercorn, Cream