I hope you are ready for more reviews, because I have two new ones today. The first will cover the expensive, yet disappointing Stradivarius de Los Maestros Robusto Major and the second will cover the very tasty Los Blancos Nine Robusto Oscuro.

Stradivarius de Los Maestros Robusto Major

The Stradivarius line of cigars is produced by General Cigar and more specifically, Daniel Nunez. It is a limited edition cigar, with an estimated yearly production at the 100,000 mark. What supposedly makes the line special is its aged tobacco, along with some very intricate packaging.

The Robusto Major size of the Stradivarius de Los Maestros line measures 5 1/2x50. The line also offers two other sizes: the 6 3/4x43 Lonsdale and the 7 1/2x49 Churchill. The cigar is composed of special ingredients, with its filler containing a blend of tobaccos from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Nicaragua. It has a Dominican Havana-seed binder that was aged for two years. The wrapper is aged as well, as it is a Connecticut Shade leaf that goes all the way back to 1992. Those who appreciate strong cigars will likely shy away from the Stradivarius de Los Maestros, because it is considered to strike a chord somewhere between mild and medium-bodied.

In the looks department, the Stradivarius de Los Maestros gets an A plus. The box that the cigar comes in looks super elegant, with its white marbled pattern. Each of the cigars is packed even further into its own coffin-style miniature cedar box with a ribbon on top that really makes you believe you are about to smoke something special. The cigar itself has a light-colored wrapper that appears to be very smooth. Only a few veins are visible, and there is a small amount of oil too. The band near the head is brown and gold in color, and it shows the Stradivarius de Los Maestros' name and logo. The cigar feels firm to the touch and appears to be packed well. Right before lighting, it has an earthy scent and a cold taste that is reminiscent of some fruit.

As stated, this cigar looks extremely impressive and would give the impression that it smokes just as well. Unfortunately, that is not the case here. The burn is uneven throughout, and the cigar needs many touch-ups. It also seems to go out frequently, keeping the lighter busy with re-lighting. On the other hand, the draw is good, and the ash produced is pretty solid and light in color.