Bucanero Don Douglas Cabinet Churchill

Overall Score

1 review for Bucanero Don Douglas Cabinet Churchill

  1. Ed

    Bucanero Don Douglas

    Origin : NicaraguaBucanero
    Format : Churchill
    Size : 6 7/8 X 48
    Wrapper : Ecuadorian Sumatra
    Filler : Dominican, Nicaraguan
    Binder : Dominican (Aged 3 years)
    Hand-Made
    Price : $47.95 (Pack of 10)

    Ed, a cigar aficionado from MA, has just joined our team of reviewers. You can follow him on Twitter @chemed3196. Welcome!

    Bucanero Cigars is a family-owned company that sells their cigars directly on their website (http://www.bucanerocigars.com). Robert Spoden does not make use of a sales force, and, other than their website, Bucanero does not advertise anywhere which results in quality cigars which are extremely affordable.

    Bucanero Cigars is known as the “best of the best” in limited production cigar manufacturing awarded as such in 1999 as the Top 5 Limited Production Cigar Manufacture of the 20th Century Worldwide. Out of 774 cigar manufactures worldwide, the Cigar Industry Review Panel (1999) selected Bucanero Cigars as “Best of the Best” in limited production cigars [information from the Bucanero Cigar website].

    This review features the Bucanero Don Douglas Cabinet Series Churchill. This cigar was rated “Excellent” in Smoke Magazine.

    Appearance : [rating:4/5]
    This cigar features two large veins running the length of the cigar. The natural wrapper can be described as caramel or toffee in color. The band can be described as fairly ornate – nice light yellow color with the face of a “Fidel Castro”-like gentleman smoking (what else) a cigar. The words “Don Douglas,” “Handmade,” “Bucanero Cigars,” and “Nicaragua” are also written on the band. This cigar had some flakes from the wrapper stemming from the cap. Not much attention was given to that imperfection as the flakes will be removed at the cut.

    Construction and Pre-Light : [rating:4/5]
    This is a well-constructed cigar; no soft or hard spots were noticed. The cigar felt nice and firm to the touch. The cigar had no oily sheen to it.

    The wrapper had a cellar smell to it; the foot had a similar smell although it was faint. The cigar was cut using a Boston Cigar Company “Little Guy” V-cutter. The draw after the cut (and before the light) was very smooth, and it tasted like caramel or honey.

    Flavor : [rating:3/5]
    The initial flavors upon lighting the cigar was that cellar taste that was perceived from the wrapper. To be honest, I was expecting more of the honey/caramel taste that was noted from the wrapper. The cellar taste was not unpleasant, but not expected. The “homey” taste felt stronger in the mouth than the retrohale.
    The ash was a nice light grey color, and it was fairly tight. A good 1.5 in. ash was obtained prior to tapping the cigar in the ashtray. The burn line was even throughout the smoke. The smoke can be classified as light, and it dissipated rather quickly.

    Towards the end of the first third of the cigar, woody notes (oak) became more apparent. It did seem that the cigar became more balanced the further one got into the cigar. The cigar does feature a long finish, and it became more balanced and more mellow the further one got into the cigar.

    Value : [rating:4/5]
    The old cliché of “you get what you paid for” applies to this particular cigar; this is not meant as a negative criticism. For less than $5.00/stick, it is a good and affordable cigar; however, I am not sure I agree with Smoke Magazine’s classification as “Excellent.” Maybe “Good” would suffice in this case.

    Overall Rating : [rating:3.5/5]
    This is what I would consider a medium-bodied, medium-flavored cigar. For me, the biggest issue with this cigar was that original cellar smell from the wrapper and taste noted early in the cigar. True, it became more balanced towards the second third of the cigar. I like complex flavor profiles, but not this particular one. I believe this cigar is not for the novice smoker, but for a seasoned one; the home smell/taste may turn off a rookie smoker. Maybe this cigar would benefit from further aging in the humidor. I would be willing to give this one another try after a few months (or even a year) of aging.

    Helpful?
    0 0
    • Tim

      Water is introduced in fermentation isn’t. That note is aged tobacco and what gives Bucanero it’s flavor.That’s why I buy them.

    • DJ

      I like the label. This would be a good one to hand out around the lodge…

    • Ed

      They have been in a humidor since the summer. I am going to let the rest sit there for a while (6 months) before I try them again.

      It is hard to say if aging them further will have an effect, but I am more than happy to try. My experience with aging is that it does not remove imperfections in taste; it makes a good cigar better.

      -Ed

    • Stephen P

      Ed have you aged them in your humidor for a couple months or anything? Is it something you think would diminish over time?

    • Ed

      RU-

      I am not sure how Bucanero does their curing and fermentation; however, I believe somewhere in the process moisture got involved, and this may result in the cellar note we both perceived. Either the tobacco leaves were not cured long enough or water was introduced during the fermentation process.

      I have to try the Full Sail and the Z and compare them also. This could be just an exception rather than the rule. I tend to give cigars 3-4 opportunities before I give up on them.

      -Ed

    • RU

      That particular note you picked up was one I also noticed in this cigar, as well as the other two Bucaneros I had (though it was less prominent in the Full Sail and Z than in this one). I have also noticed that flavor in some Paul Garmirian sticks. Cellar is a pretty good descriptor for it. I had thought of it as old attic smell, like a dry, aged, thing, but cellar might be even better, or some combo of the two. I wonder where it’s coming from – maybe the way the tobacco was aged or stored?

    • Ed

      Actually, I did not hear of them until I listen to an episode of Cigar One-on-One with Bob McDufee (Dogwatch Cigar Radio). Bucanero sponsors the show, so I decided to give them a chance.

      Thanks for your kind words.

      – Ed

    • Stephen P

      Nice review. I’ve not heard of that brand.

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Cigar Region Nicaragua
Filler Dominican, Nicaragua
Wrapper Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder Dominican
Length 6 7/8
Ring Gauge 48
Vitola Churchill
Construction Hand Made
Price Paid $47.95 (Pack of 10)