Nestor Miranda Art Deco Robusto Grande (Prerelease)

This year’s IPCPR offering from Miami Cigar & Co. is the Nestor Miranda Art Deco. In the past, Nestor Miranda and Miami Cigars have turned to Don Pepín García for a lot of their blending, and this years Art Deco is no different. However, the blend is something new for Don Pepín. Here is what Nestor Miranda himself had to say on the matter:

We wanted to get Pepín out of his comfort zone, which is using Nicaraguan tobacco. He accepted the challenge and came out with an amazing blend using 40% Dominican tobacco.

The Art Deco is a very unique blend, as it consists of a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper from ’06, two binders, a Dominican Criollo ’98 and a Nicaraguan Habano ’00. Miami Cigar & Co. originally passed out cards that described a different blend.

The Garcías have claimed that is not true.“This information is incorrect,” Said Janny García. “That blend DOES NOT have Pelo de Oro. The quantity of Pelo de Oro that we have in inventory is very little and it’s reserved exclusively for two new projects that are coming in the future. I’ve spoken with Miami Cigar regarding this mistake.”

However, the cigars will not be presented in your typical wooden cigar box. Instead, they will be released in a metallic art deco-designed tincontaining 21 cigars each and will be available in 3 vitolas at launch:

• Nestor Miranda Art Deco Coffee Break (4 1/2 x 50)
• Nestor Miranda Art Deco Robusto Grande (5 1/2 x 54)
• Nestor Miranda Art Deco Gran Toro (6 x 60)

• Cigar Reviewed: Nestor Miranda Art Deco Robusto Grande
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
• Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo ’06
• Binder: Dominican Criollo ’98 & Nicaraguan Habano ’00
• Filler: Dominican San Vincente & Nicaraguan Corojo ’99
• Size: 5 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 54
• Vitola: Robusto Grande
• MSRP: $8.50
• Release Date: October 2010
• Number of Cigars to be Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked for Review: 1

Visually, this cigar is very appealing. It has a fairly smooth wrapper, with quite a few veins, but also has a nice almost rosado shade to it that really steals the show. It has an average pack to it, not too firm, but not loose by any means. One thing I must point out is the band. Keeping true to the art deco name it looks like it came right out of the 1950s. It’s got a retro jukebox look to it that is really cool. The prelight aroma is full of barnyard with a bit of sweetness and the cold draw is leathery and sweet as well.

Starting off in the first third there is a solid sweetness to this cigar, a bit of chocolate and the smoke has a nice heat to it. It’s not exactly spicy, just a little bit of heat and then a bit of pepper on the tongue through the finish and I also tasted a very nice leather note. The pepper kick and the sweetness are balancing out perfectly and creating a nice contrast.

Coming into the second third the cigar has turned very woody. There are still some nice sweet undertones but the wood is definitely in the forefront. The leather note from the first third has disappeared and so has the pepper but in its place on the finish is a solid coffee note. The finish is a bit short and dry and it is actually leaving my mouth a bit parched. The burn and draw are absolutely perfect.

Finishing up in the final third, the profile is pretty much the same as the last third. There is still a solid wood note dominating but the leather has returned and has added to the sweetness that has been present for the whole cigar. The coffee note has become much bolder, a richer espresso type flavor. The balance of all the flavors is perfect and they all compliment each other very nicely.

Final Notes:

• I enjoyed this cigar, but it was a little milder than I anticipated. It was a touch under medium the whole way. I guess with Pepín’s signature on this I expected a little more kick.
• I will go out on a limb here and say that i think the downfall of this cigar was Pepín using Dominican tobacco for the blend. It’s not to say i don’t enjoy Dominican tobacco, but i think Pepín is just destined to make Nicaraguan puro, and his cigars truly prevail with that formula. I think the lack of Nicaraguan tobacco really took away from the strength this cigar needed to shine.
• The flavors were enjoyable and they were all balanced perfectly. The sweet undertones mixed with the pepper, and dry wood notes were spot on.
• The Nestor Miranda Art Deco will be available in stores around mid-October.
• Final smoking time was one hour 30 minutes.