The moment I was handed a sample of Dapper's "Cubo Sumatra" I was impressed. 

The cigar hadn't even slid out of its cellophane sleeve and I was already roaring and ready to go at the 2023 PCA Trade Show. You could just smell its sweet, spicy, earthen Ecuadorian Sumatran wrapper through its transparent armor, and holy hell was it intoxicating. 

But self-control prevailed, and I returned to Japan with the stick stuffed inside my suitcase along with an ass-load of other sample stogies. 

So you can just imagine my joy when I got the opportunity to fire this premium cigar blend up the other night at the pub, for a back-to-back Sumatran cigar smoking experience. Remember, I had just reviewed the "Street Tacos Barbacoa" from Rojas Cigars a couple days prior, so this was a great opportunity to do a compare and contrast piece between the two blends.

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Unlit Impressions 

Gorgeously banded in purple and gold, with an oily sheen running down the length of the cocoa-colored wrapper, "Cubo Sumatra" is both a looker and a shaker.

Spiced nose, cocoa and espresso beans, vanilla bean notes, and a leathery earthen center all earn massive pregame points. It's also a very well-constructed cigar, and save for a stray seam gap appears flawless from foot to deep double cap. 

The cold pull produces more Sumatran spice but with a touch of dark fruitiness that reminds me of prunes or the center section of a fig newton. 

Initial Smoke

Puff past the spike of spicy tobacco that pops your palate, and you'll receive a milky cocoa and espresso taste that is more akin to a milder maduro than anything. There's a bit of cayenne heat toward the back of the throat, but only a hint at this point.

1st Half

Before too long you'll discover flavors of toasted oak, vanilla pods, and a medium dry finish layered atop those cocoa and espresso tastes from earlier. 

This is soon overcome by a transition into Sumatran tobacco spice, lush leather, and cayenne pepper. There's also a fruity, slightly sweet aftertaste that makes me think of a spiked bowl of gourmet party punch. It's almost rum-like in nature and very enjoyable.

2nd Half 

There's a lot going on in the second portion of this blend. And not in a bad way either.

Toasted cashew pieces make for a milky mouthfeel, and add a flavor that fits perfectly into the dark fruit leather flavor that's begun to be the predominant aftertaste of the cigar. Sprinkle some mellower Sumatran spice flavors into the blend and the "Cubo Sumatra" truly comes into its own.  

Parting Puffs 

So this is where I thought I would begin to dislike this cigar blend because for a moment there it tasted like things were going to go all bitter on me. 

But instead, the primarily Oliva tobacco blend became this milk chocolate-covered bitter orange peel concoction. Mixed in with those cashew notes and the uptick in strength, and there wasn't much to bitch about in the tail-end portions of this stick.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw 

There was a moment toward the center of this cigar where it suddenly dropped its ash, and developed a bizarre tunneling burn. This was quickly remedied by a touch-up and the ash went right back to its glorious white self.

This was my only issue with the cigar, and just to be on the generous side, I disregarded it as a fluke. Everything else about the cigar was spectacular, including the draw and smoke, which are guaranteed via Dapper's dedication to having every stick bearing its name draw-tested at the factory.  

Final Thoughts 

The wait was worth it for this one. So much complexity and depth can be found within this blend, all but in a medium to medium-plus strength profile.

The lack of Sumatran spice and flavor up front left me feeling a bit unfulfilled at first.

And for as good as the ending was, I wished that the fruit leather and spiked rum punch tastes had remained alongside those wrapper flavors. 

All small gripes when compared to the bigger picture, as Dapper Cigar Co. continues to impress, and earn a spot on my list as one of the best emerging brands in the biz.

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