The Vuelta Abajo is a very interesting cigar because it is one of the few ‘real Cuban’ cigars you can obtain legally in the United States. These beauties are hand rolled in the Dominican Republic from rare 100% Cuban leaf tobacco that was harvested in Cuba back in 1959. The cigar is blended with 8 year old aged and doubly fermented Dominican tobaccos. Vuelta Abajo (or Vueltabajo) is a district in the Pinar del Río Province of Cuba. It lies in the west of the island, in the southern part of the Órganos Mountains. A great deal of tobacco is grown in the district, and "Vuelta Abajo" can also refer to the high-quality type of cigar tobacco from Pinar del Rio in general. The tobacco industry in this district dates from around 1830. The district itself is 90 miles (140 km) long and 10 miles (16 km) wide. The cigar I smoked for this review was a torpedo, 6 ½ x 25.
Flavor and Aroma
Pre-Embargo Cuban cigars might be one of the finest smokes you will ever experience and the Vuelta Abajo will not disappoint you. Because of the age of the tobacco it is very smooth, produces a rich think smoke and has the unmistakable aroma of real Cuban tobacco. It has a distinctive taste as well and is difficult to describe other it is a real Cuban tobacco flavor perhaps with the hint of coffee and wood. The aroma is an ‘old world’ experience and should, if you are old enough to remember, remind you of the stogies of the 1950s.Draw and Construction
These cigars are very well made and as I mentioned previously, are blended with an 8 year old Dominican vintage tobacco. The cigar is firm, cuts well, lights easily, draws easily, burn evenly and basically has all the aspects of a perfect cigar. The outside wrapper is covered with a dark Brazilian tobacco leaf, the binder is Piloto Cubana leaf from the Dominical Republic and the filler is this wonderful blend of the 1959 Cuban crop from Vuelta Abajo, Cuba and the 8 year old Dominican.Value
I have to say that for the price, this is one of the best cigars you will smoke. They come in sampler pack of 5 for around $30 and in bundles of 25 for $130. If you do the math that puts these at a nice of a little over $5 a stick. This is one of the true bargains in the industry. Okay, I don’t actually know how much ‘real’ Pre-Embargo Cuban tobacco is in this cigar, but regardless of how much is there, it is a real treat and a great smoke for the price.
