Exactus Habano – A Nice Cigar

There are so many different brands of cigars in the marketplace that it defies comprehension.  Luckily, there are enough smokers out there so that every cigar has some following.  As reviewers, we smoke lots of things that we might not have otherwise tried, hell we might not have otherwise heard of, just to bring information to our readers.  Some of the cigars are great, some mediocre, and others poor.  Fortunately for us, the poor are few and far between.  But in that great category of average cigars, what separates the winners from the losers?  Hard to say.  If you like a cigar, buy them and smoke them.  Share them with friends.  Even if a stick gets a bad review, and we like it, we continue to smoke what we like.

Today’s cigar is one that isn’t well known or from a big producer with a large marketing budget.  Rather, a relative unknown that is a nice cigar at a great price point.  Exactus is made by Tabacelara El Artista in the Dominican, a little known firm which has been in the cigar business for years.  Our smoke is their Habano wrapper from Ecuador.  It is bound and filled with Dominican Criollo 98 tobacco which gives it a nice flavor profile.

When looking at the cigar you are non-plussed; it just looks like a cigar.  It punched and lit without a problem.  A darker brown veiny wrapper surrounds this stick which feels slightly loose.

The open draw offered no resistance when smoked and did not burn evenly.  But, the cigar did not have to be relit.  The  speckled ash seemed to fall unevenly.  The cigar burned cool. But, in general, these problems were minor and the cigar was enjoyable.

Flavor was good, if mostly one note.  At the outset there was cedar and light leather accompanied by a nuttiness.  That nuttiness faded in the second third to a peppery light leather.  And finally, just spice.  But, not overwhelming.  Despite the spice this cigar is rated as a medium bodied or ‘lunch’ cigar.  The cigar was light with a nice warm finish.

At less than $5.00 per stick, this is a great value and a nice smoke.  If you are looking for a good everyday short smoke this will fill the humidor nicely.  I would definitely smoke this again.