Chogüí Dos77 Corojo Rogusto

We called it a comeback.

In 2022, after a nearly four-year hiatus, Victor Nicolás’ Chogüí brand returned to the cigar market. While Chogüí never formally shut down, the brand was left relatively dormant while Nicolás focused on things other than making and selling cigars. As part of this return, Chogüí was announced as a client of Venture 1492, an entity launched by Kyle Gellis of Warped Cigars.

Two years later, I believe that Chogüí remains the only publicly announced client of Venture 1492, a company that would help others with a variety of tasks ranging from branding to distribution. Eventually, Chogüí left Venture 1492 and returned back to Pospiech, Inc., the U.S. distribution company that Chogüí used for most of its existence.

As part of this comeback, Chogüí launched a new cigar, an updated version of its Dos77 line. Nicolás said he couldn’t find the Dominican wrapper used for the original Dos77, so he replaced it with a Dominican corojo wrapper, which was placed on top of various Dominican tobaccos, including media tiempo tobacco used in the filler. As with the cigars from the Chogüí 1.0 era, production was handled by Francisco “Chico” Rivas’ factory in the Dominican Republic.

Here’s what I said about the Chogüí Dos77 Corojo Rogusto when I reviewed it June 2022:

While it shouldn’t make a difference about the score, I wonder what my take on this cigar would be if the flavor profile was in the reverse order. The Chogüí Dos77 Corojo Rogusto starts out very aggressive with an terroir and peppery profile that I find to be both too earthy and too spicy for its own good. But by the final third, the earthiness and pepper—both of which were still easy to identify—were far more integrated into a balanced profile. If nothing else, a reversed order would mean that my palate wouldn’t have gotten blitzed in the same manner that it did, but also I could have decided just how much of the heavy doses of terroir and black pepper I want to taste. But even if there was a magical “reverse order” button in the humidor—no, I don’t think smoking the cigar backwards achieves this role reversal—there is an obvious issue with this cigar: it needs to be bunched better. Until that gets fixed, it’s going to be tough to recommend the new Chogüí Dos77 Corojo.

• Cigar Reviewed: Chogüí Dos77 Corojo Rogusto
• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: Manufactura Rivas
• Wrapper: Dominican Republic (Sun Grown Corojo)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic (Piloto Mejorado)
• Length: 5 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 50
• Vitola: Robusto Extra
• MSRP: $12 (Box of 20, $240)
• Release Date: April 11, 2022
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Redux: 1

In the right light, the relatively dull umber colored-wrapper will show some reds, though my eyes are more attracted toward the protruding veins and mottling. Given that the cigar feels quite oily, I’m surprised that there isn’t much sheen, at least not until I rotate the cigar in sunlight. The aroma from the wrapper is medium-full with leather and lots of ammonia, smelling a bit like sweat. The foot is also medium-full, but it reminds me of the smell of a pint of chocolate ice cream, along with some oak and fruitiness. Cold draws are also medium-full with plain cereal leading flavors of blueberry bagel, oak and a touch of white pepper.

The Chogüí Dos77 Corojo Rogusto starts medium-plus with a very intertwined mixture of leather, soft woods and cereal accented by saltiness and some savoriness. While my notes about the cold draw described the resistance as “great,” the draw is noticeably tighter once the cigar is lit. Other than that it takes nearly 45 minutes to burn through the first inch of the cigar, the draw is seemingly not causing any issues. Flavor-wise, there’s cereal and plain popcorn over some mild creaminess, oregano and tartness. There’s a mild amount of burn, but I’d describe it more as harshness than pepper. The finish sees the creaminess pick up while plain Cheerios and tartness serve as accents. Retrohales have some floral flavors, tartness, creaminess and both white and black pepper. The finish has nuttiness, bread, leather and white pepper. Flavor is full, body is medium-plus and strength is mild-medium. Though the body isn’t as full as many cigars, the flavor profile is very thick in texture. While the draw is slightly tight and the burn is slow, I make it through the first third without anything that would result in point deductions for construction.

While I normally like a tighter-than-average draw, the Dos77 Corojo Rogusto’s draw gets noticeably tighter in the second third, pushing the limit of how tight a draw can get before it warrants a point deduction. Shortly after writing the previous sentence, I notice that a small crack right below the main band. Fortunately, there’s no smoke coming out of the crack. Removing the band doesn’t do anything to help the draw, though about 15 minutes later, the draw is a lot better, maybe even more open than it was at the start of the cigar. Flavor-wise, the profile is slightly drier with lots of cracker flavors mixed with creaminess and mineral elements. The finish continues the trend with the creaminess getting stronger and some faint hints of that blueberry bagel flavor I found on the cold draw. Retrohales during the second third shift to a starchy earthiness with some french fry-like elements joined by dry nuttiness and red apple skin. Some puffs add white pepper and/or tartness, but it’s largely about the starchiness. Flavor and body during the second third both seem closer to medium-full than full. While the draw is much better, the burn is becoming an issue, and in the final third, the cigar just randomly goes out, requiring a relight. A couple of touch-ups later and the profile is heading in the wrong direction. Some puffs are overly harsh thanks to some charred flavors, but even when they aren’t there’s a foul sourness that accents the other flavors. The best puffs have a smooth dry creaminess over earthiness, nuttiness and pepper. Retrohales have been destroyed by the construction issues. All of a sudden, they deliver a ton of burnt pepper over some charred earth and tartness. Flavor can be full, though some puffs are more medium-full, body is medium-full and strength is medium, maybe medium-plus. The cigar takes a long time, more than two and a half hours to smoke.