"...a dark, select Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper surrounding a rich broadleaf binder and a blend of Nicaraguan, Dominican and Peruvian long fillers, the new Trinidad makes for a hearty, gutsy smoke. Are you man enough to smoke one?"

Obviously the reviewers who took a shot at this cigar were not "man enough".  Then again, if "man enough" means you have to have a desire for an acrid, sharp taste that tends to linger for the better part of a decade...color us not man enough.

One of the most common questions we receive at Top25Cigar revolves around the confusion folks have when faced with both a Cuban and a non-Cuban version of a cigar.  Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, Punch, Partagas, and now Trinidad among others have all been bastardized of their great Cuban heritage with a twin not nearly their counterparts caliber.  So Altadis wants to capitalize on the Cuban Trinidad name, even copying the bands down to a pretty fine detail, go ahead.  Next time the marketing genius’s take this approach, they may want to suggest producing a cigar that can at least hold its own with the lofty Cuban reputation flung in front of it.  This cigar does not even come close.

The draw is a hair tight, but it's a long cigar (7 1/2 x 40), and that can sometimes be expected at first.  The ash is weak...a dark dirty black that can't seem to hang onto the cigar even if it was permeated with super glue.  As you watch this cigar burn you notice small holes in the ash.  It seems our cigars had very weak construction, and there were chasms in the tobacco that would leave those aforementioned holes in the ash.  Chalk up our local tobacconist wanting $11.50 for this stick, and we were sorely disappointed.

If this cigar has anything going for it, it is on the fuller side of strong.  If you like a stronger more robust cigar, this may have a chance.  Trust us though, there are many far better strong cigars that $11.50 will buy a couple of.

This just wasn't a popular cigar with our reviewers.  It was lucky to get a "C-" just because of a robust flavor that appealed to some while smoking.  Everyone mentioned that while scrubbing their tongues with sandpaper the next morning, they weren’t to sure robust was the right description.  This Trinidad is just another sacrilegious cigar to those that appreciate the heritage that went into the Cuban brands.  Marketers be damned.

Vital Statistics:
Size: 7 1/2 x 40
Shape: Lancero
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Broadleaf
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Peru
Est. Cost: $11.50