At this years Tobacco Plus Expo, ADVentura Cigars showcased a line extension to their Navigator series known as the Francis D. Corona. The 6 x 44 corona is a nod to Sir Francis Drake, who is known for circumnavigating the globe from 1577 to 1580.
Drake was commissioned by Elizabeth I of England to start an expedition against the Spanish along the Pacific coast of the Americas. The journey was rough and by the time he made it to the Pacific coast of South America, he was down to his lone flag ship and attacked Spanish ports and pillaged towns in addition capturing Spanish treasure ships of gold and silver. He eventually made it as far as what is today Oregon and then headed south to northern California where he claimed the area for Queen Elizabeth I as Nova Albion and erected a fort and posted brass plate for the Queen and all future monarchs of England. After departing the Pacific coast, he sailed southwest around Africa and eventually landed back in Plymouth on September 26, 1580.
The blend ADVentura Cigars – Francis D. Corona is described as:
- Wrapper – Mexican San Andrés
- Binder – Indonesian Sumatra
- Filler – Dominican Republic, Nicaraguan and Ecuador
The cigar is expressed in a 6 x 44 corona and comes packaged in 20-count boxes with an MSRP set at $10.60/cigar.
For this review, I sampled one ADVentura Cigars – The Navigator Francis D. Corona which is all I needed to truly appreciate the Navigator blend in a corona vitola.
Pre-Light Examination
The ADVentura Cigars – Francis D. Corona is a beautifully constructed corona that sports a dark brown and mildly toothy wrapper that has a fine oily sheen and has a few veins. The cigar is solidly packed and firm to the touch. The seams are tight and it is finished with a well applied triple cap.
A single band adorns the cigar that uses a metallic blue, black, and white motif. It proudly displays the ADVentura logo in the center along with the phrase “ADVENTURA by Henderson Ventura” on the left and “THE NAVIGATOR” on the right.
As I ran the Francis D. Corona along the nose I detected spicy and pungent notes along the barrel along with an enticing chocolate note off the foot.
I used my double blade cutter to slice the cap straight across the shoulder and moved to give it some cold draw puffs that was nicely restricted and offered notes of growing pepper joined a touch of earth and sweetness.
With the pre-light experience much to my liking, it was time to set sail on the journey. I used a single flame torch to warm the foot, bringing it to an even orange glow, as I drew in the first naturally sweet tobacco notes. Follow along as I break down the ADVentura Cigars – The Navigator Francis D. Corona and burn it to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- First puffs offer a smooth and naturally sweet tobacco smoke
- A solid white ash forms on a even thin char line
- Toasted sweet cracker aroma wafts off the foot adding to the pleasure
- A hint of sweet hay enters the mix
- As the profile evolves, notes of coffee and cream fill in the early profile
- I have to say, love the aroma that is filling the air
- The ash finally fell after close to a good third of the cigar revealing a decent burn cone
- Earthy nuances greet the palate along with a dry cocoa notes
- Caramel sweetness moves in entering the second third
- Slight wave in the burn appears but does not require a touch-up
- Cream notes linger beautifully on the palate
- Mild spice notes enter in the final third down to the nub
- Sweet aroma continues to please the nose
- Medium in Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 25 minutes
Final Analysis
From the moment I examined this gem from looks to pre-light aromas and taste, I had all hopes that it would provide a pleasurable journey. My hopes were not dashed, as it did just that from foot to nub. The Indonesian Sumatra binder shined through this blend and vitola with a naturally sweet core that added to the developing flavors of cocoa, coffee, cream, caramel, and cracker notes along with enticing aromas every inch of the burn. Beautifully balanced and tasty for sure. The burn was pretty much trouble free with just a slight wave in the burn in the second half that did not require a touchup. This medium strength cigar is one that both experienced cigar enthusiasts and new cigar smoker would certainly enjoy and I would say grab a box if you can. I rate this a solid 95.
Point Deductions: (-1) Mild Wave in Burn
Bonus Points: (+1) Buy a Box; (+1) Balanced and Complex
