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Blind Review: Diplomatico by Mombacho Cigars

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It is just another night at the Carnegie Club. A dimly lit lounge with comfy chairs and walls lined with bookshelves and old photographs of historic figures smoking cigars. Guys and gals dressed in their casual business attires lost in their conversations, only to drown out by a live band performing Frank Sinatra’s greatest hits. Knowing it is a Fine Tobacco NYC event night, I arrive early to secure seating for my party. After settling down between JFK and Churchill, I obtain a dram of Glenlivet: Founders Reserve and light up a Cohiba Blue, which is the highlights of the night. The question in my mind is practical: “How many trials and errors did it take for them to figure out this perfect pairing?”

Pairing is a difficult task. Thankfully, Mombacho Cigars S.A has released a line that makes it easier than ever for consumers to solve the problem of making a perfect pairing. They did this by collaborating directly with Diplomatico Rum. With the same name as its rum counterpart, the Diplomatico cigar was blended to complement the Venezuelan rum. 

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Diplomatico by Mambocha Cigars S.A
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
  • Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
  • Filler: Nicaragua (Condega, Esteli and Jalapa)
  • Size: Petit Corona (4″1/2 x 44)

Appearance & Construction

The oily colorado shade wrapper shines in the sunlight. The cigar has a minor vein but is leveled and covered in little oil bumps, which we describe as “toothy.” The Diplomatico cigar has solid construction; there are no soft spots, and it has a little weight to it. It’s strong enough that I feel like the cigar would not be affected if I accidentally dropped it onto the ground.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The wrapper has a sweet and earthy aroma to it. On the foot of the cigar, it smells like a dry raisin with a hint of spice. Upon taking a cold draw, a stream of white pepper spice tickles the back of my throat. After a quick cough, I taste oats, cocoa, stone fruits, and nutmeg. 

Once lit, the Diplomatico stomps on my palate with bitter charcoal, tree bark, mossy earth notes, dark leather, cilantro, and pistachio shells. The first puff leaves me with roasted coffee beans as the flavor disburses. As I take a retrohale, I get notes of tree bark, leather glove, and white pepper spice. 

After about one inch of the cigar, the flavor profile takes a 180 turn and reshapes itself to a different experience altogether. The smoke becomes creamy. What was once white pepper spice on the palate becomes a gentle cinnamon spice, and the pistachio shell transforms into a peanut shell. While there is still an earthy tone to the cigar, the “dark and heavy” notes, such as bitter charcoal, and cilantro disappear, leaving me with a sweet sugarcane aftertaste.

The velvety smoke dances with the wind as the breeze from the East Side River makes its way inland. Even with a gust of wind from time to time, the pepper and salt ash holds on until it burns past the second third. 

The flavors for this sweet and creamy cigar continue to develop between the second and final third; dark chocolate, oak bark, creamy oats, sunflower seeds, peanut shell, and an undertone of sweet sugarcane. The retrohale also becomes an easy task. I can retrohale an entire puff without discomfort, and am greeted by newfound floral notes, warm cinnamon spice, and blond roasted coffee. 

I smoke this cigar to under an inch, reluctant to put it down. But as my lips begin to burn and my tongue dries out, I know I must end this journey. 

Conclusion

The Diplomatico by Mombacho cigar was anything but lackluster. The construction was superb, the flavor notes complex. The constant change in flavors left me wanting more. I believe if I had a dram of the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, it would take this cigar to the next level. 

Final Rating: 90

Blind Review: Patina Maduro Oxidation

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In 2020, Mo Maali of Patina Cigars and Claudio Sgroi of Mombacho Cigars added a maduro blend to the Patina lineup: the Patina Maduro Oxidation. For those who don’t know, patina is the oxidation process that occurs on certain metals that creates a greenish look (for example, the Statue of Liberty).

I’m a fan of Mombacho cigars and this was my first time smoking this collaboration Patina brand.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Patina Maduro Oxidation Double Toro
  • Wrapper: Undisclosed
  • Binder: Undisclosed
  • Binder: Undisclosed
  • Size: 6” x 56 (Toro)

Appearance & Construction

The Patina Maduro Oxidation Double Toro is a large cigar with a dark wrapper and a raised vein running along the side. The cigar is stuffed with tobacco and has little give when squeezed. The roll is solid on this impressive sized toro. The foot smells of black pepper, hay and cocoa.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

After a straight cut, the dry draw produces raisin, forest floor and musty oak. Once my torch flame fires up the Patina Oxidation Maduro, I get grittiness which quickly transforms into berries and chocolate. Billows of smoke waft from the cigar rather quickly along with graham cracker and leathery notes that hit both sides of the mouth. As I take a retrohale I pick up bakers chocolate, leather and citrus through the nostrils. The burn line progresses straight with a solid white ash.

As the cigar progresses, bing cherry and milk chocolate emerge with a short, vegetal finish. There is a celery like character on the Patina Maduro that gives a grittiness and turns the cigar sour and bitter. Another retrohale delivers leather, black pepper and a tingling in the nostrils. Continuing on, the vegetal notes subside as coca and earth rise to the forefront and give a medium to full bodied sensation. The feel of the cigar in mouth is a bit overwhelming due to the weightiness of the filler tobaccos in the smoke. Despite this, I’m able to draw on it easily and graham cracker and yeasty notes swirl around leaving a vegetal finish.

Grit, dirt and earth dominate the final third of the Patina which gives the cigar a medium bodied rustic character.  The burn and ash continue to be razor sharp as wood notes of oak and must appear with a ginger snap finish. Earth and wood intermingle, leaving a drying sensation on the palate. Even as the cigar winds down in size, the heft of the cigar still feels imposing.

The last few puffs of the Patina Maduro Oxidation Double Toro bring forth cherries, chocolate and leather with yet another short finish. 

Conclusion

I’ve enjoyed Mombacho cigars and this creation from Mo Maali did not achieve the complexity of the Mombacho brand. That said, when the tastes came through they were quite enjoyable. The cherry, chocolate and leather complemented each other rather well along with citrus on the retrohales. In contrast, the finish on most of the cigar was short which was disappointing and the vegetal notes were displeasing on the palate.

The size and heft to the Patina Maduro Oxidation Double Toro was not to my liking as it wasn’t the most comfortable for me in hand. If you enjoy larger cigar formats then the Patina Maduro Oxidation Double Toro should be of interest.

Final Rating: 88