I recently received a gift pack of four different Macanudo cigars and it provided an opportunity to have my very own taste test between two sets of two cigars.  I found a world of difference and thought you might find the results helpful. Note: I did not smoke the two cigars on the same day as it might have impacted my taste.

Cigar number one was the long standing Macanudo Hyde Park which is a 5.50 x 49 light colored cigar.  The wrapper is Connecticut, the binder is from Mexico and the filler a Dominican Republic/Mexico combination.  While it lit well and burned evenly, I found it to be a “hot” smoke right from the beginning and it had a harsh after taste.  It was a real surprise to me as the Hyde Park has been around for a long time so I might have just had an odd blend that was not quite right. Aside from the issue of being a “hot” smoke, I found the taste bland and uninteresting.

Cigar number two was from the Macanudo Cru Royale line; it was a Robusto 5 x50. Here was a pleasant looking cigar, darker in shade with an Ecuadorian wrapper, a binder from the Dominican Republic and a filler blend from Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.  This cigar was a much more pleasant smoke with a fuller flavor, an easy burn, and a bit of spice to add character.  The filler mixture really added so much to the taste. For a couple of dollars more, this cigar provided a better smoke and was much more interesting.

I hope this will help you the next time you are at your favorite cigar store looking for something new.  Enjoy!