Review of 601 Red Label Robusto Cigar

601 Red Label cigars are made by Don Pepin for United Tobacco (EO Brands), which was formed in 2003 by Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega. The 601 Brand was available in four different lines at this writing, each distinguished by a different color band (black, green, red, and blue). Each line is unique, and not comparable to the others. The red line is not as full in strength as the green line, but it is stronger than both the blue and black labels. 601 Red Label cigars are available in several different sizes, including the Robusto, which is the subject of this review, measuring 5 inches in length with a ring gauge of 50. 601 Red Label cigars are Nicaraguan puros, and are handmade in Nicaragua. NOTE: EO Brands merged with Rocky Patel after this review was written, and are no longer distributed by United Tobacco. The 601 Red Label may eventually become a tad stronger than the cigar reviewed here. The other blends are expected to remain unchanged, although their appearence (bands, packaging, etc.) may be updated.

The 601 Red Label cigar is full in both strength and flavor. I was surprised that the first few puffs were not that spicy or peppery, even compared to the 601 Blue, which is more of a medium-to-full bodied cigar. As the smoke continued, a refined sweet spice flavor was the most noticeable, but after about 15 minutes or so, the flavors transformed into a subtle combination of earth and leather, but still with a hint of sweet spice. As I continued smoking, the smoke became very smooth, perhaps even losing just a bit of its strength. I enjoyed this cigar all the way down to 1 inch remaining, which is a tribute to its taste and complexity, since I usually stop smoking most cigars with 2 inches remaining. The taste was never harsh, including the very last puff. Although I enjoyed this cigar a great deal, I recommend the 601 Blue to newer cigar smokers over the 601 Red. More experienced smokers should enjoy both cigars, but I personally prefer the balance of great taste and a little less strength with the Blue Label.

The 601 Red cigar was expertly crafted, having a great draw and an even burn. In fact, the burn was perfectly even all the way down to one inch remaining. The cigar held a medium-to-long ash, and did not require any relights nor touch-ups. The draw was just about perfect. It took about 50 minutes to smoke this cigar down to the point where I could no longer hold it any more.

A 20-count box of 601 Red Robustos should cost less than $120 online, which works out to just under $6 per stick. However, I found them available in 5-packs for around $22, which is less than $4.50 per cigar. It pays to shop around. I consider the price to be a good value, but for experienced cigar smokers who prefer a fuller smoke that is not too strong. However, I also strongly recommend the 601 Blue cigar to most smokers, including advanced beginners and experienced smokers, too. Although the 601 Red is a very good cigar, I think that the 601 Blue is even more flavorful, without being quite as strong (medium-to-full), making for an almost perfectly balanced smoke.