I’ve been a fan of Ernesto Padilla’s blends for some time. They are often a little expensive, so when these popped up for well under $6 I had to chance them. I’m into my second box now.

5×54 big robusto

Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Nicaraguan (?)
Filler: Nicaraguan Aganorsa

Appearance: medium dark brown wrapper, slightly oily. Few veins, no seams. Tight pack, heavy cigar. Entubo rolled. Straight cut draw excellent.

Aroma: Barnyard, light manure, fresh hay.

1/3: Light on pepper, just a touch. Sweet wood, roasted pecan, floral notes. Warm spice like cinnamon and cardamom, brown sugar, and toast. Smoke output is great, smooth and creamy all the way down. Draw also great. Burnline good, 1 minor correction in the first inch.

2/3: Another review finds coffee here, but I do not sense it. The smoke is still sweet but more woody now, perhaps cedar. A cool mint-like spice creeps in, but not sweet. Burn is great, smoke output excellent, and the draw still perfect. Tobacco flavors come across here as something vegetal which begins to get stronger as I reach the half way point.

3/3: The flavors are all there, even the brown sugar. Pepper stays in the background, never very powerful. A little red pepper enters into the finish. I keep expecting to find leather here, but I do not sense it. The sweetness fades a little and the woody/vegetal comes forward a bit. I don’t sense the nuts any more, but the aroma of burning wood is there and there is still toast on the finish.
I’ve paired these cigars with many rums and coffee. I think the coffee goes best, but the Mocambo 20 rum brings out the sugar in the cigar. Smoke time was 1 hour and 20 minutes, a nice slow an smooth smoking cigar. At their roughly $5.50 price point, these are excellent cigars.