MBombay Habano Robusto: Pretty and powerful

Some cigars look so beautiful that you have to have them in your humidor just so that you can admire them. This was the case when I first saw a box of the MBombay Habano Robusto by Bombay Tobak when chatting to a friend a while ago. The first thing I noticed was the exquisite pattern on the box. It looked like the beautifully intricate patterning that you would expect see on the walls and ceilings of Middle Eastern buildings.

It was quite a surprise when a few weeks later, what should drop through my letterbox but some of these delightful looking cigars. I tucked them away in my humidor for a later date, but every time I went in there and caught sight of them, I wondered whether they tasted as good as they looked. It did take me a while to get round to smoking it and a Wednesday evening herf with the Womens International Cigar Club seemed like the right time.

Aside from the ornate wrapper, another feature of the MBombay Habano Robusto was the foot. The wrapper was neatly folded over the foot of the cigar I assume to protect it. Aromas of creamy coffee with an earthy hint of bay leaf tickled my nose as I admired the smooth Colorado wrapper that was half hidden by the oversized but elegant band. I chose to punch cut this cigar and whilst the cold draw was creamy with notes of walnuts and cedar it left a dryness on my lips.

Upon lighting, which was effortless, I knew that the MBombay Habano Robusto was going to be a strong cigar with spicy flavours. The first draws did taste rather like a spice blend for a Madras curry without the sweetness that you would get from the tomatoes or the richness of the meat. I decided to let it rest for a short time while I got myself a caipirinha – a sweet and sour mix of sugar, crushed limes and Cachaça with plenty of crushed ice.

Once I returned with my drink, which was the perfect choice for this cigar, the flavour had smoothed out and became very creamy. The burn was lovely and even, with a neat black ring separating the wrapper from the ash. After a few more draws, I was in danger of singeing the lovely band, so I took it off and to my surprise, I found another band, no less impressive or intricately designed and with MBombay Habano written on it, hidden beneath the main one.

The most striking thing about this cigar was the smoke itself. I have had a good number of cigars that have given my voluminous amounts of smoke, but this usually dissipates leaving the air fragrant but clear. The MBombay Habano Robosto on the other hand had a very thick smoke that lingered and filled the air. I was reminded of the atmosphere you would get at the end of a night in a club back in my university days.

As I smoked my way through the middle portion of the MBombay Habano Robusto the flavour remained rich with a firm undercurrent of white pepper spice but a subtle nuttiness, much like an overly spiced korma. As I chatted the evening away with the good ladies of WiCC, I noticed little change in the flavour from the mid point to the nub of the cigar.

What I did find was that the pepper and spiciness of the built up and the whole experience of smoking the cigar became a lot more heady. This was probably in part to the thick atmosphere that had built up in the room but also a good hit of nicotine making its way into my system. I think that this cigar would benefit from having a straight cut rather than the focused punch that I opted for.

What impressed me most about the MBombay Habano Robusto cigar was it’s construction. It was absolutely perfect right the way through. In fact, I don’t think I have ever smoked such a neat cigar. I usually find with even the neatest of cigars there are a few flecks of ash on the table, but aside from the amazingly smoky atmosphere, once I cleared away my ash tray, there was no other hint that a cigar had been smoked. I am glad that I have been able to smoke this cigar, but I can’t say that it is top of my list to smoke again in a hurry.

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MBombay Habano Robusto Cigar Details