Macanudo Emissary France Robusto (Full Box of 16 Cigars)

• Length: 127mm
• Gauge: 52
• Strength: Medium to Full
• Wrapper: Habano Ecuador
• Binder: USA Broadleaf
• Filler: D.R.Piloto, USA Broadleaf, Arapiraca Brazil, France
• Origin: Dominican Republic
• Humidor Advised: Yes

Macanudo's Emissary series was created to answer a simple question: what happens when one of the world's most experienced cigar makers builds a blend around exceptional tobaccos that rarely appear in premium cigars?

For the France edition, the answer began in the Mugron River Valley in south-west France. Tobacco has been grown there since the nineteenth century, though very little has ever found its way into handmade cigars. Macanudo selected a four-year-aged French tobacco and surrounded it with equally mature leaves from the Dominican Republic, Brazil and the United States. The result is one of the most unusual blends the company has ever produced.

The presentation is every bit as impressive as the blend itself. Inside the box you'll find sixteen individually cellophaned Robustos together with an information card detailing the tobaccos used, their origins and how long each has been aged. It's the sort of thing cigar enthusiasts appreciate because it tells the story before the cigar is even lit.

The Robusto rewards a patient smoker. Cedar and roasted almonds lead the way before creamy coffee, cocoa, baking spices and a gentle earthy sweetness begin to weave together. Nothing rushes, nothing dominates and every leaf has its moment.

We've been fortunate enough to see plenty of limited editions pass through the shop over the years. Most are remembered for the bands or the boxes. I suspect this one will be remembered for the tobacco.