Translating to “new blood”, the Sangre Nueva from Casa Cuevas Cigars is the brainchild of the fifth generation of the Cuevas tobacco family, Alec Cuevas. It represents not only the “new blood” in the industry, but also features a new leaf for a Casa Cuevas blend - a Ecuadorian Cameroon wrapper. This cigar has garnered much attention in the cigar world, and had my attention upon announcement. I am very interested in what Alec Cuevas has put together with this cigar.
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera Las Lavas
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Cameroon
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, & Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Vitola: 4 ¾ x 54 Robusto
Price: $13.00 MSRP
Link to Purchase: Guitars & Cigars Farm LLC (Use code “Review” to save 10%)
Release Date: September 2022
Company Website: www.casacuevascigars.com
Expectations
I anticipate some pretty bold flavors with the overall cigar being full in flavor and body. I look for earth, charred wood, and some meatiness as the primary components, but I also expect some caramel, bread, and spices along the way. It will likely be medium in strength most of the way, until it rises a bit near the end.
Prelight Characteristics
I love the band design and color choices on this cigar. The soft pink really plays nice with the wrapper shade. The cigar is clean, dense, and firmly packed. On the nose I get some “sharp” tobacco like Copenhagen Silver Lid, but it’s paired with a smoked jerky like meatiness. The combination puts me in mind of Liquid Smoke. The cold draw is straight Liquid Smoke and black pepper. That is super distinct.
First Third
First light reveals medium-full bodied smoke with equal levels of flavors. There’s some slightly sweet pastry bread - like a cinnamon sugar croissant or something - along with some medium roast coffee, baking spices, and some slightly tannic wood. It’s off to a really good start. About a half inch in there is a ton of cane sugar sweetness joining the mix. The baking spices have stepped up, and the wood is more like what you’d experience in smoked meat. Nearing the end of the first third the performance has been perfect. The profile has become primarily about the baking spices and wood, but with an oiliness to it and some soft cane sugar sweetness still intertwined into the other flavors. The retrohale brings out some serious citrus, along with more of that smoked meatiness and spices. Coming to a close of the first third the only change is a little bit of sweet pepper working into the finish.
Second Third
The second third has quickly stepped up to full bodied and full flavored. There is still baking spices and wood, but there's some dark fruit and earthiness. The retrohale still has some citrus, spices, and wood, but has added some molasses. Hitting the secondary band the flavors have become a savory dark fruit and meaty earthiness. The performance has remained flawless. Coming to the end of this third the flavors remained consistent.
Final Third
Hitting the primary band the profile is very balanced and fulfilling. There’s still some dark fruit meatiness and earth, but the molasses from the retrohale is on the finish, along with some balancing, slightly bitter spices. Into the primary band it is becoming more robust with pepper, earth, and some slightly tannic wood. The strength seems to be picking up a tad - maybe medium. Coming to an end the profile has mellowed back down to the dark fruit meatiness, earth, molasses, and spices. The performance was flawless throughout.
Overall Experience
This was a very well done cigar. The overall profile was dark and bold, but not in an aggressively earthy and peppery manner. There was always a meatiness that was either joined by dark fruit, cane sugar, or molasses. The profile was then balanced out by wood, spices, and earthiness. The retrohale was also very approachable and added nice depth with citrus, spices, earth, and molasses. The performance was impeccable and made the hour and 47 minute smoking experience perfectly pleasant. I recommend anyone give this cigar a shot.
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