Review of Pioneer Valley Especiales Robusto Cigars

Pioneer Valley cigars are made in the Dominican Republic by Tabacalera el Torcedor with Dominican filler tobaccos and a choice of either a Connecticut Shade or Broadleaf wrapper. The Maduro Robusto measures 4 ¾ long with a ring gauge of 52, while the natural measures 5 inches in length with a ring gauge of 50. I did not particularly enjoy the Maduro, which I consider to be just an average stogie. However, the classic natural robusto was a very pleasant smoke, and is the main subject of this review.

Flavor

As is the case with many cigars made with Connecticut Shade wrappers, the Pioneer Valley Robusto is mild to medium in strength and flavor, and would be a great choice for a new cigar smoker. The smoke is very smooth, tasty, and even a little toasty. This cigar is similar, but a tad milder, when compared to another cigar made with a similar blend of tobaccos by another lesser known boutique cigar maker, CF Dominicana. To compare with more mainstream cigars, the Pioneer Valley tastes a little bit like a cross between the Flor de Oliva Gold and the Helix Blue Tubular.

Draw and Construction

The classic natural robusto cigar had an excellent draw, was well made, and had an even burn. The cigar did not require any relights or touch up lights during the 35 to 40 minutes that it took to smoke it down to 1½ inches remaining. The flavor was consistent for the entire length of the cigar. For comparison, the Maduro robusto did not burn evenly, and required a couple of relights.

Value

The Pioneer Valley Classic Robusto sells for about $4 per cigar, when purchased by the box or five-pack. I could only find them available online at the manufacturer's website. Although these are enjoyable cigars, there are several other less expensive brands made with similar tobaccos having a similar (but not quite the same) flavor. On the other hand, there are also several similar brands that have even a higher price tag. Thus, the bottom line is that the Pioneer Valley Classic Robusto is priced fairly and is definitely worth trying, but the price is about a dollar per stick too high to be considered a great value. I would skip the Maduro completely.