Peer into my humidor on any given day and you will see about a dozen top-tier cigars, carefully arranged atop a maelstrom of fifty or sixty everyday yard ‘gars. That ratio is a function of my cigar budget. I try to spend less than three bucks a stick on everyday smokes, and with the help of auction sites and closeouts at my local shops I can usually stay in the black — and out of the doghouse.

But I don’t review too many average everyday smokes, which is a mistake I should probably remedy. A solid and dependable 3-dollar stick will never inspire the way a limited Fuente or Davidoff might, but high-value and low-cost cigars should still be recognized in their class. Skulls and daggers and death metal iconography don’t impress me too much. A three dollar price tag does.

Cult Cigars don’t shirk on the gothic graphic design, but they do land in the right price range. I picked up a pair of Robustos for 2 dollars each at an auction site, which is far below suggested retail. It sounds like a suspiciously good deal, but after some research I learned the cigar was created to be “an everyday cigar that would appeal to wide range of cigar lovers.” That sounds like a good $3-4 smoke.

Cult Classic is made by TACASA in Esteli for Quality Importers and features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. Nicaraguan Jalapa serves as the foundation, complemented by an Indonesian binder. The blend is currently available in four sizes:

• Robusto 5 x 50
• Toro 6 x 50
• Torpedo 6.25 x 52
• Toro Grande 6 x 60

Construction Notes

The Cult Classic’s Ecuadorian wrapper leaf is dry and has a pleasantly leathery texture that is accentuated by the square press of the cigar.  This robusto is roughly milk-chocolate in tone with some minor veining.  The cap is thrown on the rounded head haphazardly. The draw is a little bit loose, causing a quick and somewhat hot burn.

On the positive side, the cigar burns beautifully — always a pleasant surprise for a pressed cigar.

Overall Construction: Good

Tasting Notes

The Cult Robusto opens with its best feature and never lets up: Cocoa. There is a trace of black pepper which provides a nice counterpoint to the earthy sweetness on the tongue, but what I really appreciate here is the note of cocoa on the nose. The cigar has a very pleasant aroma overall.

There isn’t a whole lot of development — an intensifying earthiness, some tea-like acidity, and continuing cocoa.

Toward the band the cigar picks up a little more pepper, but never becomes a truly spicy smoke.

Conclusion

The Cult Classic is mild in strength but medium in body, which makes it a great candidate for a morning smoke. There’s plenty of flavor here, nicely nuanced but not heavy or complex. My only complaint is that both sticks suffered from a hot and quick burn, most likely the result of a loose roll.

The going price for the Cult Robusto is around $6 USD per stick, but smart consumers can score an easy deal on these without looking too far. I wouldn’t fill my cart to overflowing with them, but at half the price I’d be happy to have a few around for breakfast time.

Final Score: 85