Produced in Jacaleapa, Honduras at Compania Hondurena de Tabacos, Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend is available in five vitolas: Momentos (4 by 48), Pequenos (4 1/2 by 58), Robusto (5 by 52), Toro (6 by 52), and Gordo Especial (7 by 60).

The Facts

Samples Provided by Kuuts, LLC
Price: $6.10 at Famous Smoke Shop
Vitola: Toro
Size: 6 by 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 35 Minutes
Drink: Water

Pre-light

The veiny and bumpy Ecuadorian Habano leaf is medium brown in color with a dry appearance. Against the tips of my fingers, the wrapper feels just as dry. Softly pinching the cigar, I do not find any soft spots and the cigar is firmly filled all the way through. There is not much in the aroma department off of the wrapper, while the foot gives off mild notes of tobacco, cedar, pepper, and raisin.

A triple cap rounds out the Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend. The draw has a perfect amount of resistance, and some potpourri spice and rich cedar are on the cold draw. Also, a slight spice sting is felt on the lips.

First Third

Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend is beginning with a mild to medium profile with some pepper, wet wood, and a sour quality, possibly lemon zest. I actually find the sour quality to be intriguing and fitting in the profile. The spice jumps out on the retrohale causing me to almost sneeze, accompanied by some pencil-shaving notes.After an inch of burn, the woodsy notes build in richness. A beautiful ash is being formed as the cigar burns mostly even.

Middle Third

While the sour quality is still there, it has moved behind the other flavors that have gained ground in the profile. Sweet tobacco, a nuttiness, and toasted bread join the earlier flavors of wood and pepper. The toasted notes are at the forefront of the finish of the smoke. The added sweetness is bringing a very nice balance to the profile. The burn is a bit out of whack midway through the second third requiring a quick touch-up.

Final Third

After an hour and ten minutes of smoking, I make my way to the final third of the Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend. The last third is rich and sweet. The toasted quality remains on the finish accompanied by a chocolate sweetness. The cigar reached the medium realm in the second third and remains a solid medium as the cigar begins to wind down.

Wrap-up

For  a cigar coming in around $6, a very reasonably priced cigar in my book, Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend is a solid offering. The profile was well balanced, rich, and sweet with a core of cedar and pepper. The cigar performed well with a perfect draw, satisfying amount of smoke, decent burn, and a fairly nice ash. I can wholeheartedly recommend a five pack purchase of the Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend. I know I will snatching a few more up as well.

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Monthly Recap – June

Number of Cigars Smoked: 46

Of those smoked:

• Purchased: 23 or 50%
• Gifted: 15 or 33%
• Samples Provided: 5 or 11%
• Traded: 3 or 6%

Of those purchased:

• Brick & Mortar: 15 or 65%
• Online: 8 or 35%

Top Cigars Smoked by Quantity

While the cigars I smoke in any given month are diverse, the cigars I smoke more than one or two of don’t seem to change much month to month. Instead of boring you with the same cigar each month in this section, I think I will either eliminate it or replace it with something more appealing and less repetitive. Leave a comment if you have any ideas of what you would like to see in place of this section.

Most Memorable Cigars Smoked

#1. EO Brands – Cubao – My wife surprised me with a box of Cubao’s by E.O. Brands for Father’s Day. Yes, you read that correctly. An internet company still had the original Cubao under E.O. Brands in stock. After the split of Eddie Ortega and Erik Espinosa’s partnership a few years back, Ortega gained ownership of the Cubao brand. The Ortega Cigar Co. Cubao made my 2013 top ten list. I estimate that these cigars have three plus years on them, and I couldn’t have hoped for a better smoking experience. I am going to try and hold onto these for awhile but I am no sure how long they are going to last in the humi because they are just so dang tasty.

#2. La Flor Dominicana – Litto Gomez – A couple of my co-workers gifted me this cigar during a farewell party that was thrown for me before I departed to Michigan. I lit this cigar up on my last evening in El Paso while hanging out with Tony Casas and a few other of my close  buddies. The Litto Gomez was an absolute treat satisfying with its flavors, as well as the strength that calmed by anxieties of the next day move. I highly recommend this cigar. The price is a bit high for a cigar I would visit often, but the LG is a cigar I would grab for any special occasion.

#3. La Gloria Cubana – Rabito De Cochino – A couple years back, I stumbled across these cigars on cigarsinternational.com. I was so impressed with the Rabito that I gave a handful to Tony, which he then sent a few to Jeff Oda who fell in love with these very affordable cigars. As fate would have it, Jeff sent me a handful of Rabitos down last month. As soon as I burned the first one, I remembered the reason I was so drawn to these sticks in the first place. Perfect size, medium in flavor and strength, affordable, and just down right good.

Cigars Reviewed

Kuuts Cigars – Miro Lancero

The Kuuts Miro Lancero is a very nice evening smoke that delivers in the spice department for sure. Don’t let the small ring gauge trick you. This Lancero packs a punch with its strength 

Drew Estate Cigar Safari – Tony Casas Limited Edition 2013

I didn’t know what to expect going in to but I can say I wasn’t disappointed. The first two third were very enjoyable, and even when the diesel-like flavor arrived in the final third I wasn’t put off by the cigar at all. This cigar did not present many new flavors as it progressed, but it did show variations within the main flavor components, which worked well in the Corono Gorda size.

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