Christmas is now an afterhought, and my AMEX practically burned a whole through my wallet, so I decided to be a little more economical with my final purchase of 2007. I decided to pick up a new, full(er)-bodied cigar by Victor Sinclair which will likely catch on among Corojo fans. Partly because of the price, but mostly because of the flavor.

I’ve long been a fan of Corojo wrappers...especially those sporting a thick, toothy texture with a deep, reddish hue. It’s eye candy, no doubt, and I am sold every time. Fortunately, 9 times outta 10 the cigar delivers. Such is the case with Victor Sinclair’s Corojo-wrapped cigars. Take, for example, the Bohemian Corojo or Serie ‘55’ Corojo. Both are well made, and coated with a dark, alluring leaf blushing with a deep, rosy sheen. I’ve always enjoyed these blends, so the Triple Corojo was a must-try. After all, it uses this leaf...and only this leaf.

The Victor Sinclair Triple Corojo utilizes only Dominican-based Corojo tobaccos grown only from Cuban seeds. No joke...every leaf in this cigar is Corojo. One might think this would lead to a one dimensional smoke built strictly on power. But, upon lighting, it’s easy to see just how good Jose Dominguez is at blending tobaccos. Look, I’m not saying Jose is the next Don Alejandro, but the guy’s got some talent, and his Corojo leaves are some of the tastiest and prettiest I’ve found yet.

The cigar is rolled solid from head to toe, while the wrapper is thick and toothy, with some heavy veins. Look closely, and don’t be surprised if you see some crystals surfacing. The first few smoked-filled puffs are a bit dry, with a charcoal-like finish. A dash of pepper hits the back of the palate, while strong spices dominate the nose. Shortly after, the dryness goes away and I begin to taste the chewy, oaky core, which has a slight (and surprising) sweetness on the afteraste. An inch in, you’ll grow some respect for the strength of this cigar, so take your time and enjoy the flavors. The cigar offers a hearty spice throughout that never overwhelms the palate, in addition to ample earthy undertones during the final half. The aroma is robust and fills the room with the scents of toasted wood and charcoal. The ash burns dark and firm for a good inch each time. Despite the strength and spiciness of the cigar, it remains smooth down to the final inch, which promotes a feisty finale filled with pepper and earth.

The Triple Corojo from Victor Sinclair is a reasonable, every day cigar that’s both tasty and satisfying. Give it a shot. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results.