JC Newman

October 20, 2023

Macanudo Vintage Maduro 2013 Robusto (5 x 50)





Video review HERE.


(Description provided by General Cigar)

The world’s first Vintage cigar was created by Macanudo more than 40 years ago to spotlight an exceptional wrapper produced in part by Mother Nature. Today, the Vintage tradition marches on with Macanudo Vintage Maduro 2013. The five-country blend reflects optimal climatic conditions and calls upon meticulous curing and precise maturation techniques perfected by the artisans of Macanudo.

The 2013 growing season saw some of the highest temperatures on record in the Connecticut River Valley, with soaring humidity and optimal rainfall that yielded an exceptionally brawny Broadleaf tobacco. Cured and aged for an entire decade to bring forth an array of undeniably diverse notes on the palate, this singular tobacco makes its debut in Macanudo Vintage 2013.

Ernest Gocaj who oversees the Connecticut growing operations for Macanudo said, “The growing season in 2013 was one of the best I’ve ever seen. The crop was exceptional at harvest, which meant that we had to be obsessive when it came to monitoring the tobacco during the eight-week curing process. That’s how important curing is. Our hard work paid off because we ultimately brought the tobacco’s very best attributes to life.”

A master blender’s assortment of tobaccos complement this exceptional wrapper to create the rich indulgence that is Macanudo Vintage 2013. The filler is made up of Dominican Piloto Cubano from two different primings, along with Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan Jalapa. The binder is Honduran OSA.

With an enticing aroma of cedar and earth, this indulgent smoke delivers an orchestra of nuances including leather and earth which contrast beautifully against the backdrop of wood and espresso, setting the stage for a memorable smoking experience.

Macanudo Vintage 2013 is shipping to retailers today and will be released in three sizes, each chosen to enhance the superlative blend. The cigars are individually encased in cedar wrapping and are presented in handmade, solid wood boxes that protect 20 expertly-crafted cigars, each made by artisans at General Cigar Dominicana in Santiago, DR.


Available vitolas:

Robusto (5” x 50); SRP per cigar $11.99 REVIEWED TODAY

Toro Grande (6” x 54); SRP per cigar $12.99

Churchill (7 x 49); SRP per cigar $13.29

Macanudo cigars are distributed by General Cigar.


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




The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors at light up were a sweet, tangy peach, brown sugar, chocolate,, and black coffee. There's a lot of sweetness initially. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Good start.



At the first third (17 minutes) the sweetness has dipped from the light up. Plus, the black coffee goes way up. I still had the peach, brown sugar, and now there's a light nougat, sweet dark chocolate, and black coffee. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is a little peach with chocolate with very good lingering black pepper. If the cigar had stayed like it was at light up the cigar would score a 94 easily. As it is, the first third is 92.




As I moved through the second third (39 minutes) the cigar got very earthy. There are light hints of peach, a lot of dark chocolate, and even more black coffee. The black pepper is still very good; at least 8. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is dark chocolate and black coffee with very good lingering black pepper. There is very little sweetness at this point. I rated the second third 87.




The cigar lasted 52 minutes. The peach notes made a slight improvement. There's still plenty of dark chocolate and black coffee. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. With only a modest improvement I scored the final third 88. This cigar starts out so very nice but it quickly turns extremely dark.




Overall Score: 89

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