At the end of 2018, I reviewed the DBL Cigars MAFU Cameroon and boy did I give it a high rating, one of the highest on Stogie Press and rightfully so. The sheer fact that this was an 8 x 60 vitola and burned like a champ was just part of the story. I noted in that article, I would get to reviewing its Maduro brother the following year. Well, 2019 zipped by and the MAFU Maduro was still aging in the humidor. So here I am today, halfway through 2020, offering a review of a well aged DBL Cigars MAFU Muduro.
Let’s do a quick recap of the how the name “MAFU” came to be:
DBL Cigars owner, Francisco Almonte explained that MAFU has a dual meaning. The word MAFU is actually an anagram of the word Fuma. A Fuma is an unfinished cigar made of one type of tobacco which is used by the blender to determine the tobacco’s flavor and strength. But it is really the second meaning that is near and dear to Francisco:
“There is this guy that lives near our factory in Tamboril, Santiago, DR. He is about 50 years old and some people say he is crazy. His name is Mafu, and he would come to the factory and offer to clean it in exchange for cigars to smoke. Everyone in the factory loves Mafu, as he keeps the factory clean and spotless. It is a tribute to him that we named this new blend the MAFU.“
Francisco Almonte
The DBL Cigars MAFU Maduro has a blend described as:
- Wrapper – San Andres
- Binder – Havano Vuelta Abajo (HVA)
- Filler – Corojo 99 and Pennsylvania Broadleaf
The MAFU Maduro, like its Cameroon brother was originally expressed in an (8 x 60) vitola, the company has since come out with a boxed pressed (6 x 54) toro format also. Both sizes come in 30-count boxes with 15 cigars of each blend. The original 8 x 60 retails for $9.95 and the toro retails for $9.00.
For this review I sampled the original MAFU Maduro.
Pre-Light Examination
Like the MAFU Cameroon, the Maduro is one big ass cigar. I know Francisco makes baseball bat cigars but this is one you could crack a ball over the wall with. Alright, maybe I exaggerate a little, but it is a beautiful looking cigar. It has dark brown wrapper with a decent oily sheen and mild tooth (grit) to the touch. There are a few noticeable veins running along the barrel. It is solidly packed and it is just heavy in the hand. The cigar is finished with a simple cap to complete the presentation.
The DBL MAFU MAduro is adorned with the same 2 bands as the Cameroon. The primary breaks with DBL tradition and does not use the prominent company logo, but rather the golden word “MAFU” on a black background bordered by red and gold stripes. The letters “MA” and “FU” are printed around the band above and below the bold “MAFU” word. There is also a red footer band that completes the presentation.
The pre-light aromas were a bit closer to the many DBL cigars I have smoked with enticing notes of raisin and spice off the foot and an earthy note along the barrel.
I sliced the cap straight across the shoulder with my double blade cutter and proceeded to give it some long cold draw puffs. For such a long cigar, the draw was pretty much spot on and offered a light peppery spice that morphs into a cinnamon spice the more you draw on it.
My triple flame torch was the ignition of choice to get the MAFU started. Patience is the key, as I slowly warmed the foot and drew in the first puffs of butter and spiced smoke. Follow along as I burn this one to ash, I can assure you it will take a lot less time to read this review than it took to take this one to the nub.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial notes of spice and touch of butter nuance
- Raisin notes add to the pleasure
- White flaky ash forms on a thin char line
- A sweet and salty tango of flavors enter after an inch as the raisin note becomes more forward
- Full Volume of Smoke through a smooth draw
- Floral aroma wafts off the foot
- Mild wave develops
- Cream and fruit notes transition as the saltiness fades
- Ash fell with a flat but centered burn cone
- Cocoa notes add tot he profile
- Slight off burn develops that requires a mild touch-up
- Butter notes re-emerge midway followed by added natural tobacco sweetness
- Spice emerges deep in the journey taking it down to the end enters
- Strength moved up gradually, eventually hitting full in the 3rd quarter
- Total Smoking Time was 2 hours and 40 Minutes
Overall, the DBL MAFU Maduro was a long enjoyable smoke that had plenty of flavor nuances and transitions through the journey. With this much to be had, it was certainly going to hit full strength, which it did by the 3rd quarter. This is a cigar you need to have plenty of time to enjoy and you should have eaten something before you start. It did have some minor burn issues unlike the Cameroon that was all but flawless, but I still feel it is worth grabbing a 5-pack of. Find a good baseball game to settle in to watch and smoke the MAFU. I rate this a 90.
Point Deductions: (-1) Wavy Burn; (-1) Slight Off Burn; (-1) Touch-up Required; (-1) Flat Burn Cone; (-1) Flaky Ash
Bonus Points: Complex in Flavor
