The 601 Green Label Reserva Limitada is made by Pepin Garcia for Eddie Ortega at United Brands and was released at the 2007 RTDA with very little fanfare.  Planned to be the strongest of the 601 Series, it delivers. This extension consists of five vitolas and they come in 20 count boxes, except for the Corona, which is packed in 40 ct. boxes. For this review we smoked the robusto sized La Fuerza. The blend is all Nicaraguan.

Eddie and the boys at United are a breath of fresh air in the cigar industry.  Always smiling, always enjoying what they do, their true passion for the business comes through.

This 601 had a beautiful, dark, dark chocolate colored wrapper with a slight reddish hue. The wrapper was free from prominent veins and defects. The cigar is supple to the touch, cut cleanly and had a good draw. The pre-light aroma is awesome.

After lighting, the aroma decreased and the cigar burned evenly. The first quarter of the cigar had intense earthy flavors and lots of spice. At the one third point, the spice faded and the power of this cigar became apparent.  Using a 1- 10 scale, this had a strength of 7. The last half of the cigar was less intense as the flavors and the power blended together.

Make no mistake, the 601 is a cigar smoker’s cigar. The intensity of the first half is on the edge of being too strong. But like the new Graycliff Double Espresso and the Padron Serie 1926, the 601 never crossed the line to become harsh. To the credit of the blenders, it is a really strong cigar that is still smooth.

The spice, earthy flavors and power of this cigar create an interesting experience for the knowledgeable cigar smoker. The complexity and evolution of the flavors as the smoke progresses, with the added dimension of the power, makes the 601 and entertaining and enjoyable smoke.

The 601 is like a great roller coaster. The first half is intense and edgy. The second half is less intense, but still shakes you up. At the end, you want to do it again.