The team from Cubariqueño Cigars, (the Protocol Cigar guys) showcased their latest craft, the Protocol Sir Robert Peel at this years PCA trade show. The cigar is offered in a natural & maduro format and are produced at Erik Espinosa’s La Zona Factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.
Juan Cancel – Co-Owner of Cubariqueño Cigar Co, stated:
Sir Robert Peel is regarded as the father of modern day policing. Cubariqueño Cigar Co again pays homage to the profession of its owners Bill Ives & Juan Cancel who are police officers. We left no stone unturned for this release. Both cigars are smoking phenomenal and we took the packing up to the next level.
For this review I am focusing on the Protocol Sir Robert Peel Maduro which I received samples of from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
The blend for the Protocol Sir Robert Peel Maduro is described as:
- Wrapper – Pennsylvania Broad Leaf
- Binder – Nicaraguan
- Filler – Nicaraguan
Expressed in a single 6 x 52 box press format and packaged in 10-count boxes, the Protocol Sir Robert Peel Maduro has an MSRP set at $119.50 per box. ($11.95/cigar)
Pre-Light Examination
The Protocol Sir Robert Peel Maduro is a soft box pressed cigar that has a dark brown and marbled wrapper. The wrapper has a decent oily sheen to it with a slight tooth to the touch and a few pressed veins. It is nicely capped and does not show any soft spots along the barrel.
Three bands adorn the cigar, but you may not notice that until you remove the primary band which uses a reddish brown, gold, and cream motif and features an image of Sir Robert Peel in the center. There are three gold medallions on each side of the image and the name “Sir Robert Peel” printed on the bottom. Once you remove this band it reveals a secondary band that uses the reddish brown and gold motif with the date 1829, printed on the bottom. The date represents the year Sir Robert Peel established the London Metropolitan Police Force. The presentation is finished with a fuchsia footer band.
My aroma sensors picked up a mildly pungent aroma along the barrel and not much off the foot.
Once I sliced the cap with my double blade cutter, the cold draw was more open then restricted and offered some peppery notes and a touch of earthiness. The pepper reveals itself as red pepper flakes and grows the more I cold puffed it.
I used a double flame torch lighter to ignite the foot and took in the first few pepper laden puffs of smoke. Follow along as I break down the Protocol Sir Robert Peel Maduro.
Cigar Review Notes
- Red pepper notes right off first light
- Salt and pepper ash evolves on a thick char line
- Sweetness and baking spice notes appear after the pepper recedes
- Ash is a tad flaky
- Butter and spice notes enter
- Off burn starting as it moves into the second third
- Eventually requires a touch-up
- Tunnel effect once the ash fell
- Spicy aroma wafts off the foot
- Buttery sweetness begins to entice the palate
- Peppery spice enters to brighten up the butter note
- Barrel starts to get squishy entering the midway point
- Earthy notes with a touch of savory sweetness is the predominant note at this point
- Not much change into the final – just a touch of syrupy aroma
- Strength medium to full
- Total Smoking Time was 1 Hour and 10 Minutes
Overall, I found the Protocol Sir Robert Peel Maduro to be less than a stellar cigar. The flavors started decently as did the burn but it quickly found its way off the rails from a burn perspective (multiple samples). The flavors and aromas were developing nicely but by the midway point that slowed and the cigar basically maintained the same profile to the finish. That is a not a bad thing but if you are looking for complexity this may not be the cigar for you. Each sample did show a rather squishy barrel by the midway point and also an off-burn that needed a touch-up. As a medium to full strength cigar this may be one you might want to try. We rate this an 88.
Point Deductions: (-1) Salt and Pepper Ash; (-1) Flaky Ash; (-1) Off-Burn; (-1) Requires Touch-up; (-2) Inward burn/Sides Burning Less; (-1) Barrel Gets Squishy; (-1) Buy one
