by Yannis Valavanis

In the last few days I have been hearing a lot about Canada and I decided to speak about it myself. Not for politics, of course, but for cigars, as usual. I was reminded of an excellent cigar that a friend from Canada had brought me back in 2010 if I’m not mistaken. A box of twenty-five Vegas Robainas Petit Robaina Edicion Regional Canada 2009. A Petit Robusto cigar with a 52 ring (20.64mm) and a length of just 11cm. An excellent cigar but also an excellent story of the name it bears.

Alejandro Robaina was the only farm owner and tobacco grower in Cuba to make cigars with his name on the ring. I used past tense because he passed away in 2010 at the age of 91 – coincidentally the same year as the Canadian launch of this particular cigar. The tobaccos of his farm, founded in 1845 by his ancestors, are still considered among the best in Vuelta Abajo and until 1997, when he created his own brand, Vegas Robaina, they were used for Cohiba and Hoyo Fridays de Monterrey. It should be noted that he was the only grower whose farm was not merged with the rest of the farms after the nationalization of Fidel Castro, with his consent of course, in order to keep the unique quality of his tobaccos.

As for the cigar, of course, this is an excellent cigar for coffee, I did it in three quarters of the hour, but for someone that will take his time, it can reach an hour or so, mild with a woody taste and fruit aroma, slight aftertaste but very peppery in the ending that tickles your tongue. Very good and easy-going, it scores an 8.8/10 for sure.