Initial Thoughts
In the last review, I gave you information about the newest member of the House of Emilio, Bodega Premium Blends. Their introductory line, the Reunion, consists of two cigars, the Aperitivo and the Digestivo. The last review was of the Aperitivo, which was the appetizer. This time, the focus is on the Digestivo, the after-meal cigar.
The Reunion Digestivo is the Spanish word for digestif and is designed to aid in digestion, resigned for smoking after a meal with your favorite spirit or beverage. According to the BPB website, the aim is “to bring the whole experience to a satisfying conclusion”. After all, the Reunion line intends to bring friends together to share the unifying experience of cigars, drinks, and food. Or you can just skip the extra stuff and get right to the cigars.
The Digestivo comes in the same box as the Aperitivo, with 10 of each per box. There are three vitolas available: Toro, Double Robusto, and Corona Gorda. You can find more information on the brand and get a variety of other entertaining tidbits on their website http://bpbcigars.com/.
The sample smoked for this review came from BPB Cigars. As usual, their generosity will not be a factor in how it is rated.
Looks
The Bodega Reunion Digestivo looks very tasty, but in a completely different way than the Aperitivo. It looks hearty and filling; with a dark maduro wrapper that has some darker streaks throughout it. There are some veins, but the seams are smooth. It appears that it has a double cap, but it is flush. The stick appears to be well packed.
The bands compliment the cigar very well. The main band is the largest, with red, white, purple, and silver. It has “Reunion” printed on it. The second band has Bodega in small print and Digestivo on it. The border color on this one is purple as opposed to the red on the Aperitivo. When it comes time to remove them, both tear a little piece of the wrapper off. This happened when I tried to loosen them to slide off but couldn’t. I then peeled them off, thus tearing the wrapper a bit.
Function
The Bodega Reunion Digestivo looks more “menacing” than its cousin, but actually feels smoother. It has a nice silky feel to it. I do not detect any lumps or soft spots. The squeeze proves it to be quite solid.
This cigar looks like it will have some interesting aromas. The foot proves this true with a heavy molasses, earth, and hay scent. The barrel is a bit more tame, with the same aromas but less of them.
As usual, I go with the trusty CRA cutter. After clipping the cap, I give it a few test draws. I get more of the molasses and hay that I got from the foot. The airflow is a bit tight.
Smoking
Time to light the Reunion Digestivo up and see how it performs! I use my Xikar single flame torch. It takes a good minute to get it lit, but I am able to do so evenly. Throughout the smoke, the burn line is a little wavy but does not require a touch up. However, in the final third, I do have to give it two touch ups, as the burn gets too wacky to leave alone. I think this is due to hitting the area where the bands tore the wrapper a bit.
Like on the pre light, the draw is a little tight throughout the smoke. Nonetheless, I am still able to get a good amount of smoke without difficulty.
The ash is a mix of black, gray, and white. It looks a little loose, but hangs on for an inch at a time. It is much more solid than the one on the Aperitivo.
Flavor
I keep comparing the Reunion Digestivo Double Robusto to the Aperitivo, but with good reason. They are the same company, line, and even come in the same box. However, they are blended to taste significantly different. Lets see if this holds true.
In the first third, the first several puffs are heavy on black pepper and earth. It starts to develop into a bit of cayenne pepper on the finish after a while, albeit subtly. Moving along, I get some wood and faint hay notes as well. Even further on, there is a sweetness and tang that start to mild out the spicy pepper notes.
The second third is a nice blend of earth, wood, and pepper. There is also a nuttiness that develops. The retrohale is still strong on earth and pepper, but the finish has become milder. As this sections transitions, the wood gets stronger and some salt joins the nuttiness.
The final third sees all of the elements come together with a bit more tanginess. There is even a little cream and savory note that pops in there from time to time. Then, a bit of harshness creeps in, but only lasts for a few puffs and disappears. The cigar finishes with a pleasant savoriness.
The Bodega Reunion Digestivo Double Robusto is medium-full in both flavor and strength. Other than the brief moment of harshness, the flavors are all very enjoyable. There is a great deal of complexity to this cigar, as it changes up the prominence of the flavors throughout the smoke. Smoke time was 1 hour 20 minutes.
Would I Buy It Again?
Yes. I will say it is a little on the expensive side though.
Is It An Everyday Smoke?
It certainly could be. It might be a little strong for some smokers, but I could handle one per day.
Would I Buy a Box?
Having enjoyed both this and the Aperitivo, the answer is yes. They also come in 5 packs.
Conclusion
Bodega Premium Blends is a company made up of people who cherish the camaraderie of smoking cigars with friends. The Reunion Digestivo is supposed to signify the conclusion of the smoking and social event and I feel it is apt for the occasion. I could really see this capping off a great meal with friends, paired with your favorite beverage. It is a satisfying cigar indeed!
The only issues I have with the Digestivo are the bands tearing the wrapper/burn and the price. In this case, I don’t think the price is as much as a factor just because I was so satisfied after smoking it. That being so, I won’t decrease the rating based on it, but the burn and tearing did present a little bit of an issue. Otherwise, I enjoyed smoking this cigar and hope that you will too. Go out and get some Bodegas today!
