Beer, Motorcycles and Cigars — Beer, Bikes and Butts

Cigars Direct provided me with another fine selection of cigars for review, including a big, fat Room 101 Serie SA Gordo (6″ x 60) and an Obsidian White Noise Toro Extra (6.5″ x 54). After letting them relax a few days in my humidor, I decided to pull one out for review with a morning cup of coffee on the Lido Deck. I couldn’t commit to two hours for the aforesaid monsters, so I instead went with the Joya de Nicaragua Rosalones Robusto (5″ x 52).

This Nicaraguan puro had no flaws, and burned evenly throughout. It was a mellow smoke at commencement, with some spice but not much complexity. Indeed, had I rated this cigar based on the first third, I would have noted that it was pleasant enough, but not given it much of a recommendation. However, this stick truly grew into its own as I continued, and by the end I was very impressed. Still, it did not measure up to two of my other favorites from Joya de Nicaragua, the Fuerte Serie B, which I gave an impressive rating of 95, and the Antaño Dark Coroho Doble Fuerte, that earned a 93. Although it finished nicely, for being a little slow at the start I can give the Rosalones only an 86 on The Morris Scale.

Other than through the Cigar of the Month Club, this stick does not appear to be available from Cigars Direct, but they go for about $4 a stick at Cigars International. Here is how CI describes the Joya de Nicaragua Rosalones:

 

Welcome to America, Rosalones!

Staying true to its roots, Rosalones is a Nicaraguan puro, composed of select, extensively aged tobaccos. This well-blended bouquet results in a tamer Joya de Nicaragua specimen that many will find damn near perfect. It all begins with a dark, slightly marbleized Nicaraguan Criollo wrapper. Teaming up with this juicy leaf, awaits a long-filler core of Nicaraguan tobaccos secured within a Nicaraguan Habano binder. On paper it sounds much more powerful than it is. But it’s no walk in the park either, because like a finely tuned automobile, this baby balances strength and smoothness to a ‘T’. Unfolding from the cool, slow burn are hints of pepper, coffee, and earth, before segueing into a delicious raisin-esque note. If the horsepower of other JDN offerings have kept you at bay in the past, you just found the perfect median.This delicious medium-bodied cigar from Joya de Nicaragua was once reserved exclusively for the European market (enthusiasts overseas don’t have quite the appetite as we Americans do for full-bodied muscle). But Rosalones isn’t the red headed stepchild of the family either. There’s still that chewy, spicy core of Joya de Nicaragua wrapped up in each cigar.

Posted on September 14th, 2013 by Aaron Morris
Filed under: Cigar Facts, Cigars, Reviews