Assessment Updates will be posted on this web-site to: 1) Assess “pre-review” cigars that were not given a rating or score (typically pre-release cigars); 2) Provide numeric ratings to cigars previously assessed prior to the implementation of the numeric scoring system; 3) Provide a re-assessment and re-score of a previously assessed/scored cigar. Today, we provide a numerical score to the Lou Rodriguez Habano-Rosado. This was a cigar we assessed November 2011.
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| Lou Rodriguez Habano-Rosado |
In 2012, we listed our “Five Boutiques to Watch” for the IPCPR Trade Show. One of those five companies was Lou Rodriguez Cigars. The company was started by Lou Rodriguez, a surgeon based in Greenville, North Carolina. His company is a true “seed to store” cigar company as they grow their own tobacco, have their own factory, and handle their own distribution. Rodriguez himself is a maduro fan, but word is he had to be convinced to go outside the maduro-zone. In 2011, the company released an Ecuadorian Habano wrapped cigar called the Lou Rodriguez Habano-Rosado. This cigar was launched at the 2011 IPCPR Trade Show. Of all of the core line cigars by Lou Rodriguez, this one often gets the most overlooked. While normally I am not a belicoso fan, this has proven to be the best vitola of this line. Today, we once again revisit that Habano-Rosado and provide a numeric score.
As mentioned, the cigar has an Ecuadorian Habano-Rosado wrapper. This wrapper surrounds Nicaraguan tobaccos in the binder and filler. There are five vitolas that have been released for this blend: Corona (5 1/2 x 42); Belicoso (5 1/2 x 52); Churchill (7 x 54); Gordito (6 x 60); and Presidente( 8 x 50).
The flavor profile is a good one and pretty much remained the same from when we first assessed this cigar. There aren’t a lot of flavor transitions, but there are nice flavor nuances. The cigar delivers notes of natural tobacco, floral, citrus, and red pepper. There is a nice underlying sweet spice to this cigar. The flavor notes are medium-bodied. The strength is not overpowering. It starts off on the upper end of mild to medium strength before progressing to medium strength in the last third.
The construction is top-notch – and this is a staple across the Lou Rodriguez lines. Both the burn and draw were excellent.
Click here for our original assessment of the Lou Rodriguez Habano-Rosado.
Assessment: Nice to Have
Score: 90
Source: The cigar for this assessment update was provided by Lou Rodriguez Cigars. Cigar Coop is appreciative for the sample, but in no way does this play a role in our assessment rating and score.
