Cubarinqueno Cigars – Protocol Official Misconduct Toro

Jeremy Hensley — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 13:30:13 +0000

Last month, I lit up the Protocol Probable Cause, a 2016 release from Cubarinqueno Cigars. It was my first go around with a Protocol cigar and I thoroughly enjoyed the big flavors the cigar brought to the table. Today, I light up the fourth release from the company – Protocol Official Misconduct.

Like the Protocol Probable Cause, Official Misconduct is a law enforcement inspired cigar. Manufactured at Erik Espinosa’s La Zona factory, the cigar features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. While other sizes are in the works, only a 6 by 50 toro is currently available that is sold in 10-count boxes.

THE FACTS

Price: $9.89
Vitola: Toro
Size: 6 by 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 20 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Protocol Official Misconduct wears a medium brown wrapper Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that has a marbleized appearance. The cigar gives slightly as I roll it lightly between my fingers. There are only a couple medium sized veins on the leaf and some scattered bumps. Even though a fine tooth can be seen upon close inspection, it cannot be felt underneath the fingers.

The wrapper aroma is of graham cracker and honey, while notes of chocolate, raisin, and more of the honey sweetness is found on the foot. A shallow cut opens up a free draw that delivers spicy cold draw flavors of cinnamon, cedar, and honey.

FIRST THIRD

The Protocol Official Misconduct toro opens up with a spicy profile in terms of both heat and flavor. After a half inch, the spice settles just enough to let a coffee flavor peak through. After knocking off the first ash that is flaky in appearance, I see a tunnel forming that is having a drastic impact on the flavors and smoke production.

MIDDLE THIRD

As I enter the second third, the cigar is no long tunneling, but a quick hit with the lighter is required to get the cigar burning again. The salt and pepper spice remain the dominant characteristic of the profile, making for a very meaty profile matched with the dark coffee.

FINAL THIRD

After a mostly consistent profile through the previous two thirds, a very welcomed sweet cedar has joined in. The strength that I was beginning to feel earlier is in full force as I smoke through the final third of the Protocol Official Misconduct.

WRAP-UP

Right off the bat, the Protocol Official Misconduct opened with a spicy profile that held strong throughout. The spice drowned out anything else the cigar had to offer. Even the coffee had a hard time keeping up with the spice and the sweet wood joined in a little too late. Combined with the tunneling, the cigar struggled to stay lit making for a sub-par performance. This may be a good cigar to try down the road to allow time for the tobaccos to mesh and balance out. If you like strong and spicy cigars, this may be the cigar for you. I would maintain them a tad dryer than normal to help with the burn. Even though it wasn’t the favorable smoking experience I had with the Probable Cause, I realize it is a handmade product with a lot of contributing factors. Because of that, this is a cigar I want to revisit six-months down the road.

The post Cubarinqueno Cigars – Protocol Official Misconduct Toro appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Cubariqueno Cigars – Protocol Probable Cause

Jeremy Hensley — Sat, 18 Aug 2018 13:30:14 +0000

A few months prior to the 2016 IPCPR Trade Show, Cubariqueno Cigars, a police-owned business, announced Probable Cause, the second release under the Protocol brand. The initial release contained two sizes: Robusto and Churchill. A lancero was added in 2017 and, in April of this year, the Corona Gorda joined the lineup.

Manufactured in Nicaragua at Erik Espinosa’s La Zona, Protocol Probable Cause features a Mexican San Andres wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. There are currently three vitolas on the market: Corona Gorda 5 ⅝ by 46, Churchill (6 ½ by 48) and Lancero (7 ½ by 38).

THE FACTS

Price: $9.79
Vitola: Corona Gorda
Size: 5 ⅝ by 46
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 minutes

PRE-LIGHT

Probable Cause by Cubariqueno Cigars wears an extremely dark brown, nearly black wrapper. The leaf is loaded with bumps and a fine tooth making the cigar rough to the touch. A couple of medium-sized veins run the length of the cigar.

The wrapper gives off barnyard, smoky bbq, and wet earth aroma. A big aroma of chocolate and graham cracker is found on the foot of the cigar. A cinnamon spice and some cedar are on the cold draw that has a good amount of resistance.

FIRST THIRD

The flavors come out of the gate full and thick in the mouth. There is Latakia-ish flavor and pencil shavings, paired with a hefty amount of pepper and an underlying sweetness to the smoke. The smoke production is satisfying and the burn is even. To avoid the ash falling my lap, I lightly tap it in the ashtray at three-quarters of an inch.

MIDDLE THIRD

The pepper spice is medium in the mouth, but as I retro-hale the smoke, it is full in the sinuses. The burnt/charred wood Latakia flavor continues as the central flavor in the Probable Cause profile. This smaller cigar carries a good amount of strength that I am already beginning to feel by the middle of the cigar, moving me into a relaxed state of mind. The flavors have settled with the main components remaining the same.

FINAL THIRD

The Latakia has evolved to charred wood and there remains the sweetness to the smoke as I enter the last leg of the smoke. The burn is not as even and the ash is flakier in appearance than earlier, but I have no need to touch-up the cigar.

WRAP-UP

The Protocol Probable Cause Corona Gorda may be a smaller cigar, but it bumps out big flavors, a good amount of spice, and a sweetness that pulls everything together. When you light up this cigar, you instantly know you are smoking Mexican San Andres tobacco and, while dominant, it doesn’t overwhelm the flavors. The Nicaraguan quality still shines through. There were no problems with the construction which I have come to expect with La Zona made cigars. The boys in blue have created a great cigar through their partnership with Erik Espinosa and La Zona. There is a lot of competition at $10, but this is still a cigar I feel is worth the price.

The post Cubariqueno Cigars – Protocol Probable Cause appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Cubariqueno Cigars Archives - Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando

Cubarinqueno Cigars – Protocol Official Misconduct Toro

THE FACTS

PRE-LIGHT

FIRST THIRD

MIDDLE THIRD

FINAL THIRD

WRAP-UP

Cubariqueno Cigars – Protocol Probable Cause

THE FACTS

PRE-LIGHT

FIRST THIRD

MIDDLE THIRD

FINAL THIRD

WRAP-UP