When was the last time you sparked a cigar from El Rey del Mundo? It's been a long-ass time since I fired one up as well, which as I write this review, makes me feel like we've all been missing out.

Despite having been around since 1848, when it was first founded in Cuba, this OG of the cigar biz has seen very little evolution over the past few decades. In fact, receiving its own American spin-off like so many other stogies during the post-Cuban Missile Crisis was probably the greatest event in El Rey del Mundo's history.

Overshadowed by more progressive cigar manufacturers and boutique brands over the years, the classic cigar staple continues to somehow hold on to enough sales to maintain a place in Scandinavian Tobacco Group's "Forged Cigars" offshoot. One of the reasons for this is the line's impressive value, followed by its STG-grade construction and quality control. All of which can be found in the El Rey del Mundo Oscuro throws at you in large amounts, along with some really damn good Connecticut Broadleaf Oscuro flavors and aromatics. 

[Buy 5-Pack]

Unlit Impressions 

Tissue paper covered and larger than a Coney footlong, this "Robusto Supremo" is a real stand-out when scanning the humidor. While we do offer a half-sized robusto vitola as well, the monster vitola that I reviewed featured some pretty nice construction, and had a good bit of spring to it when squeezed. 

Look beyond the classic Cuban-styled band (which can be retained if one is careful and tugs the tissue paper off from around it) and you will see a milky, grayish-brown mocha-colored wrapper. Mottled and veiny, with some slop to be seen in the seam and cap, this Connecticut Broadleaf outer leaf smells the way it looks: Dark, mocha-like, and unrefined.

Darker and more delicious is the foot, which pours on even more dark-roast coffee and bittersweet cocoa, along with a smack of sweet cedar. Spiced in its own way, but not a full pepper bomb, the foot grows richer and more topsoil aligned as you sniff. There's also some lighter looking leaf to be seen in there. Which makes me wonder what this mysterious, 100% Honduran long-filler mixture might be. 

Cold draws are almost a complete carbon copy of the scents from both foot and wrapper but with more sweetness and a toasty, baked pastry taste that is spiked with a mild holiday spice medley.

Initial Smoke

Milky, cedar strong, heavier in its holiday spice delivery, and unexpectedly smooth, light-up is a smooth one with this premium cigar blend. Mocha notes are mild and far from bitter, with a chalky clay taste being the main retrohale characteristic that emerges. 

1st Half   

Richer and chewier than at the start, the first third and much of the second take mid-grade tanned leather and smooth out its rougher spots with an unrefined brown sugar taste and sweetness. A simple, yet very enjoyable retrohale loads on the Broadleaf earth without going too deep into the barn, which is guided by a very long mocha-first finish and the sweet, fruity aftertaste of stewed cherries.

While the first third was a pleasant surprise, what followed felt far too similar to what I was already experiencing. In fact, outside of some dried hardwood notes and a bit more Broadleaf earthen funk, anything prior to the center of this 3-hour-long smoke was pretty much identical. This included body, strength, and flavor, which is medium. 

2nd Half 

As that peppery, fermented Honduran soil funkiness fills out, retrohales increase in intensity and complexity. Cedar and smoked meats, spiced cola notes, and a kick-ass sweet cocoa finish make the latter half of this cigar its most complex section. Chewy and a bit unrefined at times, the smoke slowly builds in body every fifteen minutes or so, until you are left with a leathery fistful of flavor and a cigar band that must be removed. 

Parting Puffs

Full-bodied anywhere beyond the cigar band, but with medium-grade strength and flavor delivery, the final moments of this Broadleaf beast close in with star anise and even more soil and leather than ever. Look anywhere beyond that and things will likely get charry on you, so best to puff carefully and keep that cone burning cool.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

I found that this blend offers a mixed bag when it comes to construction, burn, and smoke production. On one side, there is the flow of the cigar, which may be considered slightly loose by some, but makes for a really good draw for those in search of deep retrohales and whatnot. It also will continue to burn cool and build a pretty big ash if you are careful. 

Ash drops, large flakes, wavy burn lines, and the appearance of a random tunneling issue were definite downsides though. The blend also burned a bit hot and went out on me a couple of times, which was likely due to me neglecting the cigar for a touch too long while I toiled away on the mountainside.  

Final Thoughts  

What's impressive to me though, was that despite relighting the cigar two times, and touching its wrapper up to negate the tunneling issue I detected, it continued to taste exactly the way it had prior. 

Furthermore, this blend managed to keep the typical fermented Broadleaf funkiness that one finds in such tobacco strains subdued... at least to an extent. This resulted in me being able to enjoy the subtler spiced pastry dough tastes and mellow mocha milkiness of the smoke far more than anticipated. Granted, those leather and licorice-like star anise notes in the tail end of the stick can be a bit intense, but by now most of us are accustomed to these sorts of tastes and expect them to arrive half the time in such a blend. 

Unattractive wrapper, construction/burn issues, and annoying tissue paper packaging be damned. This is one hell of a consistent smoke for those on the hunt for a dark lawnmower cigar. Not only is El Rey del Mundo's Oscuro  extremely affordable, but it also is quite tasty, isn't too intense, and can take some serious physical abuse. Additionally, as long as you don't allow it to sit for too long, the cigar will keep itself lit the entire time and still taste perfectly fine even if a relight is required.

 

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Overall Balance & Repeatability

Stogie Specs

Cigar	El Rey del Mundo "Oscuro"
Wrapper	Connecticut Broadleaf Oscuro
Binder	Honduras
Filler	Honduras
Factory	Honduras
Size	54x 7¼" Robusto Supremo (Churchill)
Strength	Medium
Pairing Drink	Homemade Iced Mocha
Rating	4.1/5