JC Newman

February 09, 2020

Cuevas Reserva Maduro Robusto (5 x 52)







Video review HERE.



(Description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)
At the 2019 IPCPR Trade Show, Casa Cuevas Cigars released Cuevas Reserva. It’s a brand that originally had a limited release in the early 2000s.

Cuevas Reserva was released by Luis Cuevas Sr. At the time, he faced a huge dilemma- either invest in the time and resources needed to introduce his own brand or focus on the family’s factory operation in the Dominican Republic where he was making cigars for other people.  Cuevas Sr. made the decision to focus on his factory.

 Fast forward to 2016, and Luis Cuevas Jr. had convinced his father it was time to create their own brand of cigars and Casa Cuevas Cigars was born. Now the family has made the decision to bring back the Cuevas Reserva brand.

As for Cuevas Reserva, it is available in a Natural and Maduro option – both produced at the Cuevas family’s Las Lavas factory in the Dominican Republic. The Cuevas Reserva Maduro (a personal favorite of Cuevas Sr.) features a Mexican San Andres wrapper, a Dominican Piloto Cubano binder, and combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan (ometepe) fillers.



Cuevas Reserva Maduro
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Habano
Filler:  Dominican, Nicaraguan, and U.S.
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Las Lavas S.A.


Robusto: 5 x 52 (SRP $10.50) REVIEWED TODAY
Toro: 6 x 50 (SRP $10.90)
Torpedo: 6 1/4 X 52  (SRP $11.40)




The cigar is very dark and has an average feel in the hand.





The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were cedar, low level brown sugar and cinnamon, moderate amounts of a leathery nutmeg, dark chocolate with some sweetness, and espresso. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. At the early stage the nutmeg is a little creamy with some leathery notes but it may actually be a almond butter flavor. I will let the cigar develop more to pin down the exact flavor.




At the first third (26 minutes) the mystery flavor is definitely a nutmeg with light leather notes. I still had cedar, very light brown sugar and cinnamon, light leathery nutmeg, lightly sweetened dark chocolate, and espresso. The dark chocolate and espresso are the predominant flavors. The finish is dark chocolate, nutmeg, and black coffee with a moderate amount of lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium to full bodied. This cigar is starting off a tad better than the natural. I rated the first third at 93.




At the second third (47 minutes) the cigar is burning very evenly. The flavors are mixing better in the second third. The black pepper seems to have increased somewhat. The finish is unchanged. The cigar is now full bodied. I rated the second third at 93.




The cigar lasted 1 hour 11 minutes. In the final third there was a little jostling of flavor percentages. The cedar is now a dry cedar and it's more noticeable. Along with the brown sugar and cinnamon. The nutmeg is smooth and creamy. The leather notes on the nutmeg have gone. The dark chocolate has decreased but the espresso has increased. The cigar is still full bodied and the finish is unchanged. Even though the percentages of flavors changed the overall appeal of the cigar remained the same. I rated the final third at 93. This is a pretty good maduro cigar.


Overall Score: 93

No comments: