Sindicato is a clever name for a cigar — it has that underworld overtone, that slightly sinister suggestion of menace that is so common in cigar marketing these days. But the name is a classic red herring. Sindicato has nothing to do with the mob — it’s the Spanish term for a labor union. Leave the gun. Take the chaveta.
Sindicato Cigars are made by a union of cigar industry veterans: retailers, manufacturers, lobbyists, the whole kit. Their motto is “Join the Union.” After smoking a couple of their flagship brand cigars, I believe I will.
Sindicato is a Nicaraguan puro blended by Arsenio Ramos. The cigar is made in the Casa Fernandez factory, so it should be no surprise that the wrapper is a shade-grown Corojo leaf grown on the Fernandez farms in Jalapa. Under the hood is a double binder from Esteli and a filler blend of leaves from Jalapa and Esteli. I will openly confess my weakness for Jalapa tobacco, and I’ve been a fan of Aganorsa leaf from the early days of Tabacalera Tropical, so I was stoked to fire this one up.
Sindicato was released on March 1, 2014, in six sizes:
- Corona Gorda – 5 1/2 x 48
- Robusto – 5 x 54
- Toro – 6 x 54
- Belicoso – 6 1/8 x 54
- Churchill – 7 x 52
- Magnum – 6 x 60
Construction Notes
The Corona Gorda is a square pressed cigar with a soft and supple milk-chocolate brown wrapper. The cigar feels light in the hand, but it’s packed well and burns slowly. The foot is unfinished (flagged) and the head sports a tight pigtail cap. The draw is excellent, producing a consistent volume of medium-bodied smoke, and the cigar burns evenly.
This is a handsome cigar, obviously rolled by experts.
Overall construction: Excellent.
Tasting Notes
The Sindicato Corona Gorda is a medium strength cigar with notably aromatic complexity. The cigar starts out as smooth as its silky wrapper leaf and never gets harsh. Initial flavors are of roasted nuts with a dash of black pepper, but the aroma steals the show. It’s too complex to call it cedar –it smells to me like sandalwood. There is a sweetness to the scent that complements the flavors on the palate, a nutty brown sugar sweetness that grows earthier and more peppery as the cigar burns.
The finish is lengthy, and though it becomes fairly spicy in second half it stays smooth to the end.
Conclusion
Sindicato is an elegant and extraordinary smoke. I haven’t seen anyone do a flavor map for this cigar yet, but if I made one it would cover the whole spectrum. Everything from wood to pepper to floral scents — it pretty much made my palate light up like a Christmas tree. It’s smooth and sweet, very easy to smoke, and never boring. It’s one of the best new cigars I’ve tried in a long time.
Just one catch though, and you knew this was coming. You don’t get to join the Union without paying your dues. While the price is not exactly prohibitive, it is still considerable. The Corona Gorda runs around $10 USD, with larger sizes commanding commensurately larger fees. And you won’t find these in the discount aisle anytime soon, or ever, so save up your shekels. It’s a worthy investment.
Final Score: 94
Cigarfan.net 
Man, I love these write ups. But, “Leave the gun. Take the collective bargaining agreement.” seems more apropos to me. And perhaps only to me. I would love to give these a go, but $10 for a corona is a little out of my league other than as an occasional single, although I do realize that it is pretty much the equivalent of a robusto (a $10 robusto is still a bit much for me).. Excellent recap, as always!
I worried a little bit about taking creative license with the famous words of Signore Clemenza. I hope he’ll take it in good fun and not let it be a stone in his shoe.
True, the price is a bummer. But at least the quality of the cigar is in line with it.