Origin : Honduras
Format : Robusto (Merlin)
Size : 5.25 x 50
Wrapper : Cameroon
Binder : USA (Connecticut Broadleaf)
Filler : Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : $68.95 / box of 20
Below is the second dual review in our series of 6.
Ed: Excalibur 1066 is a product from Hoyo de Monterrey (General Cigar). The cigar is named for the year of the Norman Conquest of England. Although William the Conqueror led the Normans to victory, several of the vitolas are named after King Arthur and several of the members of the court (Galahad and Lancelot). Today’s dual review feature is named after the Merlin – Arthur’s wizard, prophet, and adviser. In the Excalibur 1066 line, Merlin is the name given to the robusto.
Stephen: According to the Cigar World website, this line is no longer called the Excalibur 1066, it’s now the Excalibur Cameroon. However, they don’t say that any change was made to the blend. These cigars are available in 4 sizes and are made at the Honduras American Tabaco factory in Cofradia, Honduras.
Ed |
Jason |
Appearance: Rating:  The wrapper is a dark brown with some veins around the cigar. There is one glue spot near the band. The cigar seems to have some darker streaks of color in some spots. There is also an orange spot near the second cap. The wrapper had an earthy aroma to it, and it also had hints of hay. The foot had a similar earthy aroma as the wrapper, and it also had earthy and grassy notes. The band is a typical Hoyo de Monterrey band except that the colors are different (gold and brown). The brand of the cigar (Excalibur 1066) is written at the bottom of the band. |
Appearance: Rating:  This cigar had a toothy Colorado shade wrapper and an ugly looking cap. It had a lumpy feel to it and was kind of rustic looking. Not much prelight smell. |
| Construction: Rating: The cigar does not seem to show any soft spots, and it is very firm to the touch. The cigar seems to have a double cap. The draw was very easy during pre-light and during the smoke. No issues were experienced removing the band. The ash was light grey on the outside with more of a charcoal grey inside. The cigar produced about a good 1.5 in. before been tapped off into the ashtray. It also proved to be fairly smoky, and the smoke rose very quickly. |
Construction: Rating: This cigar was well made overall. The draw was good, but the burn veered off course a couple times. It stayed lit well. |
Flavor: Rating:  The cigar was cut using a Boston Cigar Company Little Guy V cutter. This cigar is the perfect size for this cutter. The pre-light taste in the tongue was slightly spicy although I would have expected a bit more spice out of a Cameroon wrapper. After lighting the cigar, the smoke had a very leathery and woody (cedary) taste. About 1.5 in. into the cigar, the woody notes became stronger. Definitely, this cigar went from medium strength to full strength. The finish was long, and predominately, it had cedar notes left on the mouth. |
Flavor: Rating: This robusto had a wood taste with slight grass and leather undertones. It wasn’t particularly smooth, but I wouldn’t say it was harsh either. The flavor of this cigar didn’t really change the entire time, so I would say it was consistent, but lacking in complexity. |
| Value: Rating: This is a great cigar for a great price; at about $3.45/stick, this can easily be classified as a daily smoke. There is definitely no sacrifice in quality or flavor for such low-priced cigar. |
Value: Rating: These cigars retail for around $4-$5, which is a nice price point. I’m sure they can be found for less than that if one were to look. These are well made, average to slightly above average cigars at a price that won’t break the bank |
| Overall: Rating: General Cigar has produced a good quality product. Those who enjoy a medium-full strength cigar, will not be disappointed. One word of caution: the cigar starts out slow in flavor, but it definitely picks up later during the smoke. It is definitely one I would classify as a daily smoke. I enjoyed this cigar, and I will enjoy this cigar in the future along with other vitolas from the Excalibur 1066 cigar line. |
Overall: Rating: The flavor of this Excalibur 1066 wasn’t bad, but its lack of complexity made it boring. It didn’t have any glaring weaknesses or strengths… average across the board. I would say it’s worth trying, especially if you’re the bargain hunter type. |
