Victor Calvo Maduro Gran Corona – Cigar Review

Once again I would like to emphasize how wrong the FDA is when they arbitrarily put a $10.00 price point on a premium cigar. I can tell you how many cigars I have smoked that cost less and are true premium smokes. So once again I will make it clear. Today Stogie Press reviewed the Victor Calvo Maduro Gran Corona. This cigar is an excellent stick and at around $6.00/stick it is awesome.

The Victor Calvo Maduro Gran Corona is a 60 1/4 x 54 soft box pressed cigar, wrapped in a dark, coffee bean brown Connecticut broadleaf Maduro wrapper. It has an Ecuadorian Binder and Nicaraguan filler to round it out.

In addition to the Gran Corona the Victor Clavo Maduro also comes in 2 other vitolas:

• Robusto 5×50 (box press)
• Belicoso 6×54 (round)

Obviously, the first thing you will notice when examining the Victor Calvo Maduro is the dark oily and marbled broadleaf wrapper. The unlit foot has a cocoa powder scent to it and after clipping it, the dry draw offers a sweet chocolate note that makes me want to just chew on this for a while.  It has an elegant band that pops with red, gold, and brown colors. The letters “VC” are centered  with an embroidered stitch like look. The words Victor Calvo are printed across the top and “Premium Cigars” on the bottom. The identification that this is the Maduro blend is at the bottom of the band printed in gold on a brown background. There is clear pride in the making and presenting of this cigar.

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I was sitting in the Stogie Press lounge today in solitude, listening to some Pink Floyd on vinyl as I sampled the Victor Calvo Maduro. My thoughts were running with the days events and this was a perfect way to work through them. I paired the Victor Calvo Maduro with a glass of ice water to keep my palate clean, but if i was to enjoy this cigar again I would pair this with a Cafe Mocha to add to the chocolate flavors.

Firing it up, I was greeted with a woody and peppery note and a decent volume of smoke. The pepper was not overwhelming on the retro-hale but certainly opened the nasals a bit. Shortly into the burn the cocoa entered the profile blending well with the pepper. This is one of my favorite flavor sensations in a cigar.

As it got past the one inch mark of the light grey ash burn, there was a citrus note that joined the mix. There was a slight wave to the burn but nothing that detracted from the experience and it eventually corrected itself with no touch up. The eventually fell at the two-inch mark.

At this point the flavors have all blended into a delightful smoke as the Victor Calvo Maduro  approached the band.  Consistent flavor and perfect draw and burn highlighted the experience. I have all but forgotten about the issues of the day as I just leaned back in the couch and enjoyed the solitude with my new friend  – The Victor Calvo Maduro. The smoke is smooth and creamy at this point and there is no bite or bitterness to be found.

Half way into the second third there is a sweetness that comes into the profile that stimulates the palate once again making me just want to chew on this. I am really enjoying the second third as my thoughts wander to things other than work and life.

The final third brings some cedar background notes as the sweetness remains on the top. Overall the Victor Calvo Maduro is a pleasant medium body cigar with just the right amount of flavor transitions. The burn is wonderful and aromas were sweet and kind of nutty at times – I would say almond nut. For the price point of $7.00 I think we should some of these to the FDA explaining what a premium cigar really is, but then again they would not smoke them to appreciate the leaf.

If you are in the Fort Lauderdale area, you can find the complete line of Victor Calvo cigars at the Mancave Cigar Lounge.