JC Newman

July 08, 2018

Ramon Allones Habano Oscuro Toro (6 x 52)






Video review HERE.


(Description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)
Over the past 18 months, AJ Fernandez has been involved in production for several high-profile iconic brands including Hoyo de Monterrey, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, and H. Upmann. Now Ramon Allones can be added to the list, however, this time things are a little different. Not only will Fernandez be handling production of the brand, he will be the exclusive distributor of the brand in the U.S.

Plans are for two Ramon Allones AJ Fernandez lines including a Habano Oscuro and Sumatra. The Habano Oscuro is planned to be a four-size box-pressed line including: Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 52) REVIEWED TODAY, Churchill (7 x 50), and Torpedo (6 1/2 x 54). At press time, the only details reported on the Sumatra is that it will be available in five sizes.

While known as a historic Cuban brand, the trademark for Ramon Allones is owned by General Cigar Company in the U.S. Under the arrangement, General will continue to own the trademark. In 2015, General moved the Ramon Allones under its Foundry Tobacco brand. Earlier this year, it had announced the Foundry Ramon Allones’ cigar was being discontinued.


Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan Corojo 99
Filler: Nicaraguan



The cigar is very dark and well made. It has a dense feel in the hand.





The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were a tangy citrus that is engulfed in cinnamon and heavy leather. There is a nutmeg cream that binds everything together. It is very thick. There was a black coffee base. I noted black pepper which I rated at a 7 1/2. The cigar comes across (in flavor notes) as full bodied. I expect it to hit full bodied at some point. The cigar is what I would call "heavy" in flavor notes. 




At the first third (32 minutes) the cigar is coming across as a nice, powerhouse cigar. The main front end flavor is now tasting more like a sweet cedar instead of a citrus. There are still plenty of leather and nutmeg notes. There is also a lot of cinnamon notes mixed in with the other flavors and a touch of brown sugar. The cigar is full flavored and already feels full bodied. It feels quite powerful. The finish is a deep leather with some nutmeg notes and a nice amount of lingering black pepper. The cigar is burning evenly. The flavors are very nice at this point. I rated the first third a 93.




The second third (1 hour 1 minute) had the cigar turning darker. The coffee notes are very prominent and I would now call it an espresso. It is very dark and deep in flavor. The other flavors of sweet cedar, cinnamon,  brown sugar, nutmeg, and leather are still very much in play but you can taste the elevated espresso notes. I am convinced the dark flavor is espresso but you might call it unsweetened dark chocolate. I'll stick with espresso. The cigar is definitely full bodied and you can feel it. The finish has more nutmeg notes to go along with the nutmeg and lingering black pepper. The cigar continues to be very good but with the elevated espresso notes which took away a portion of the sweeter notes I am lowering the 2/3 point score to a 92.




The cigar lasted 1 hour 33 minutes. In the final third the cigar turned even more darker. The espresso, leather, and nutmeg are now very prominent with the espresso being the lead flavor of those 3. The sweeter flavors are dwarfed by those darker notes. The cigar is very full bodied and I would suggest you have something on your stomach before smoking this cigar. The finish is unchanged. With the massive uptick in darker notes I am scoring the final third at an 90. This is a good, powerful cigar with a nice, sweet start that transitions into a dark noted cigar that is very full bodied. 


Overall Score: 92

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