$46.50 for one cigar? The Stradivarius Robusto Major
Maybe half a year ago (who the Hell says half a year ago, BTW), Jason provided video inside of Matt Rosen's vault at What's Knot to Love, and Mr. Rosen noted that he had a first run box of the Stradivarius brand of cigars. Jay told me they retailed for a little more than $30 a smoke. Aged 15 years and made with a Cuban seed in the Dominican Republic by Daniel Nunez, the Stradivarius carried the name and the bloodline of something special.
So last week I decided I needed to get out of the office at lunch time and mosey down to Nat Sherman and low and behold, in there locked-up super secret vault, they have the full line of Stradivarius smokes. Its payday, I am feeling pretty generous, and oh yeah, a few nights before I took my friends for $300 in poker, so needless to say, I am buying smokes with house money.
The Stradivarius Robusto Major is in my sights. I am looking at an expertly crafted coffin box with the wax seal on it and I say to myself, this is a victory cigar. I am going to take this cigar, go to Bryant Park, light it up, and relive my mastery at the poker table.
Did I have a bit of sticker shock when they told me it was $46.50 for one -- of course. Did I think that this was going to be a knockout cigar -- absolutely. Was it? HARDLY.
Let me tell you - when I hear the word Robusto, I expect ROBUSTO. I expect strength. I expect complexity. What I got was smoothness, creaminess. Don't get me wrong, these are great attributes for a cigar. But complexity, not a scintilla of complexity. From ignition to extinction, the cigar carried the same even tone, which given the price tag, was a bore!
The Stradivarius Robusto Major is expertly crafted, they cut no corners. It ashed and burned beautifully. It had some of the redeeming qualities that I typically point out in cigars that I love and rate high. But let's face it, $46.50 for a smoke, I should have wanted to lay down on the ground and take a nap in the middle of Bryant Park at 12:45 pm. Instead, I walked back to the office in the same manner my friends walked back to their cars following poker night -- dejected.
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4 comments:
Matt, please say it isn't so...
When I first laid eyes on the Stradivarius advertised in the December cA, I thought to myself, now this cigar is the "Good Life". Exquisite, sensual appearance and I would have thought a Prada for sure!
So what you're saying, if I might read between the lines - shop at Target, might find the same level of complexity?
Thanks for the heads up Matt!
Damsel...
I smoked this up a few months ago, but the Churchill and I was embarrassed to say I spent $50 on this stick. To make it worse it was one of the blandest cigars I smoked recently.
Give me some complexity or challenge in a cigar if i'm paying $50 for it. Very disappointed in this cigar, though for a mild cigar, it was fine.
Doormatt:
Well well... Not only did I see this smoke in Mr. Rosen humidified warehouse but I was recently lucky enough to receiced said smoke from the man himself.
Currently welled condition in my humidor, the Stradivarius lyes in repose until I have enough gumption to take on a smoke period.
Nice insights into the making of this cigar, I will take that into consideration when I smoke it. OH did I mention it was free! $300 from poker, well than, that sounds free to me.
Jason
I've heard this song before, and from at least 3 other people who reviewed the Strad, including our distinguished friend from Velvet Cigar.
While I'm not neccessarily in the camp of those who say "The only difference between a $2 cigar and an $8 is $6,"I can't see myself ever spending more than $15 on a single cigar. And even then, it would have to be a 2 hour-long, maduro-wrapped cigargasm for it to be worth it.
I imagine that in a year, you'll see these cigars on CBid going for $9-$15 a stick for a while. That's still way too much, considering you can get a Fonseca 5-50 for $2.
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