International Cigars Unlike Mexican Puros
Te-Amo cigars are made in Mexico, but unlike the company's original blends which are Mexican puros made with 100% Mexican tobaccos, the World Selection Series of cigars are made with tobaccos from other countries. There are three distinct lines of cigars in the World Selection Series:- Dominicana Blend – Made with Dominican filler and a Connecticut Shade wrapper
- Honduras Blend – Made with Honduran filler and a Corojo wrapper
- Nicaragua Blend – Made with Nicaraguan filler and a Criollo wrapper
Flavor
Not comparable to their Mexican puros, Te-Amo's World Selection Series of cigars are much higher quality smokes. I was pleasantly surprised by the flavors in all three blends, with each line of cigar having its own unique characteristics. The Honduras blend was the most robust of the group, although the flavor was not harsh. This cigar was medium-to-full bodied, and recommended for more seasoned smokers. I smoked the Churchill size (7 inches long) in the Honduras blend, and rate it 3 ½ stars out of a possible five. I smoked the Robusto size (5 inches long) in the Nicaragua blend, and found it to be medium in strength with a nice spicy flavor with just a bit of sweetness, earning four stars out of a possible five. In the Dominicana Blend, I smoked the Toro size (6 inches long), and found it to be very smooth and mellow, with a creamy texture and no bad aftertaste. This cigar was mild-to-medium in strength, and is the best choice for a new cigar smoker. I rate it 3 1/2 to four stars.If I had to pick only one of the three blends, it would probably be the Nicaragua blend. However, since the flavors are completely different in each blend, the choice would depend on what I had a taste for at the time. And I must say that I enjoyed smoking all three blends back to back to back. What an international experience!
Draw and Construction
These cigars are all well made, although the construction is not A+. None of the cigars required a relight, but the Honduras and Nicaragua blends needed a touch-up light just to even out the burn. All cigars had a very good, nice and easy draw. None of the blends could hold a very long ash, so don't try to go beyond 3/4th inch, unless you want ashes all over your clothes. I smoked all three blends down to around two inches remaining, and did not have any major problems with the construction of these cigars. The Honduran Churchill took just over an hour to smoke, and despite their difference in size, the Dominican Toro and Nicaraguan Robusto each took about 35 minutes to complete.Value
The Te-Amo World Selection Series of cigars are a great value, especially the Dominicana and Nicaragua blends, which would be great choices for newer cigar smokers as well as seasoned veterans. However, I strongly recommend trying all three blends, just to compare for yourself the difference in taste characteristics amongst countries. It is hard to believe that these sticks are actually Te-Amo cigars. Too bad Altadis is not distributing and marketing these cigars with a new brand name, since they are not comparable to the Mexican puros produced under the same Te-Amo brand. However, if you give them a try, the World Selection Series will definitely change the way you think about Te-Amo. The cost per stick is less than $3 when purchased by the box or sampler pack.
