Initial Thoughts
I had the great pleasure to meet the founder of Roberto P. Duran premium cigars a couple of months ago here in Nashville. I had previously smoked a couple of his cigars from the Premium line, and I was impressed. Obviously I wasn’t going to pass up the chance to meet the man behind the cigars. By the way Roberto is one of the nicest people that I’ve met in the industry, we stood and talked shop for about an hour. Talking about the good ole days, and what was currently going on in Cuba and his thoughts on the pending demise of the embargo. All while smoking his cigars. Doesn’t get any better than that. As we were finishing up our conversation I went ahead and picked up a couple sticks from each of his lines. I wanted to dedicate an entire week of reviews to this great man and his cigars. Without further ado we’re gonna jump right in on this Roberto P. Duran Premium line. The Premium line is the backbone of releases from Roberto. This particular blend comes in 4 sizes:- Rio Toa: 5 x 52
- La Punta: 6 x 54
- Tainos: 6 x 56
- Cacique Guama: 6 x 60
Looks
The Roberto P. Duran Premium is covered in a Habano Criollo wrapper that has a gorgeous Colorado coloring to it. That beautiful reddish brown is always a welcome site in my humidor. The wrapper is produced in Ecuador and it’s flawless. I was talking to Roberto and he said that only mature this leaf to 70% of full maturation. It helps get that perfect color that they’re going for with this cigar. He said that a by-product of this process can sometimes result in a poor burn line. I’m not too worried about that though, but it is great information to have.
It’s hard to miss the band on this cigar. A big bold kind of navy blue color to it. The band itself almost has a shield type shape to it. The background has a castle tower and a leaf in front it. Right below that the brand name is displayed: Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars. Simple and to the point, but it looks great every time. The band is trimmed with a nice bit of silver piping that makes it pop just enough to reflect some light and catch your eye.
Function
Rolling this cigar between my fingers I couldn’t pick up on any soft spots in the filler. It was pretty tightly packed. Not much bounce back on this one. The foot looked to be well packed as well. The cap was beautifully laid into position. It doesn’t quite look like a triple cap, but you can clearly see the seam on it. Either way I made quick work of it with my Xikar Xi cutter.
I began testing the draw and it was a bit firm at first offering some resistance. However, I went ahead and put the flame to it and began puffing to see if it would open up any more.
Smoking
Once some smoke starting coming through the barrel of this Roberto P. Duran Premium the draw began to open up as well. I was able to get a good amount of smoke which obviously helps with the tastes. The smoke is fairly thick and quite solid. It doesn’t have a blue hue to it that you sometimes see.
Throughout the first third I never really had a problem with the draw or smoke. The ash held around 1″ and was a bit flaky, but at least I didn’t drop any on me, so you know it was a good day. The rest of the way through this cigar continued to smoke very well, I never had an issue with the draw. In my book it’s a win! So it draws good, smokes good, but does it taste good? Let’s find out!
Flavor
Right after clipping the cap off I began dry drawing this Roberto P. Duran Premium. Immediately I picked up a nice sweetness, and a natural tobacco flavor. That sweetness reminded me of a sorghum or molasses note. So I’m really interested in trying this with a sweeter bourbon or rum and see how it pairs. Could be very exciting. The retrohale on this cigar gives that classic Cuban profile, you get some great tobacco notes, but there are hints of citrus, very floral with bites of pepper along the way as well.
During the 2nd third I began to pick up on a very distinguished creamy note that became the backbone of the flavor profile. I was blasted by pepper on the retrohale, but it was calmed down with that creamy note very quickly. For me the citrus disappeared in the 2nd third but came back in the final third. Another flavor that appeared in the final third was a bit of a hickory flavor. It could be that it’s due to the build up in the tobacco in the barrel, but it was a nice savory note that added a bit more complexity.
For me, this cigar never built to more than a medium-full. It had bouts of strength along the way, but it stayed in that range. I loved the flavor complexeties along the way as well. Ranging from citrus to hickory, I enjoy diversity, if it’s done well. Overall a really great cigar!
Would I Buy It Again?
Without a doubt.Is It an Every Day Smoke?
Would I Buy a Box?
This cigar is definitely box worthy.Frequently Asked Questions
How strong is the Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigar?
The Roberto P. Duran Premium tops out at medium-full strength. It has occasional bouts of pepper-driven intensity, but it never gets overwhelming — and that creamy note keeps things balanced throughout.
What are the flavor notes of the Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigar?
Expect sorghum or molasses sweetness up front, followed by citrus, floral notes, and pepper on the retrohale. The second third brings a creamy backbone, and the final third adds a savory hickory note that rounds out the complexity nicely.
Where can I buy the Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigar?
Eric picked his up directly from Roberto at an event, but he recommends asking your local tobacconist if they carry the line — and checking out the full catalog on Roberto P. Duran’s website.
How much does the Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigar cost?
The Roberto P. Duran Premium runs around $10 a stick. Eric says if you could find them closer to $5-7, they’d be a no-brainer everyday smoke.
What bourbon pairs well with the Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigar?
Eric specifically called out a sweeter bourbon as a natural match, noting the cigar’s sorghum and molasses sweetness upfront. He also mentions scotch and rum as viable pairings, so there’s plenty of room to experiment across the line.
Where to Buy Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigar
Average retail: ~$10 per stick. Prices vary by retailer.
| Retailer | Price | Availability | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Famous Smoke Shop | ~$10/stick | ✅ In Stock | Shop Now → |
| Cigars International | ~$10/stick | ⚠️ Check Stock | Shop Now → |
| Amazon (samplers) | Varies | ✅ Available | Search Amazon → |
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Best Bourbon Pairings for the Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigar
As a full-bodied, high-strength Nicaraguan torpedo, the Cojonu 2006 demands a bourbon with presence. Here are our top three pairings based on complementary flavor profiles.
#1 — Knob Creek 9 Year
Knob Creek 9 Year’s caramel richness and oak backbone should play nicely off the cigar’s sorghum sweetness and hickory finish without steamrolling the more delicate citrus and floral notes.
Buy on ReserveBar → Read Our Review →#2 — Old Forester 1920
Old Forester 1920’s bold, baking-spice-forward profile should mirror the pepper hits on the retrohale while that creamy mid-palate on the cigar keeps the whole pairing from going too intense.
Buy on ReserveBar → Read Our Review →#3 — Russell’s Reserve
Russell’s Reserve’s softer, rounded sweetness and vanilla character make it a natural companion for the molasses-tinged opening third without competing with the savory hickory that shows up at the end.
Buy on ReserveBar → Read Our Review →Pairing suggestions based on the Stogies on the Rocks flavor profile scoring system. Browse all bourbon reviews →
Conclusion
I’m a big fan of this Roberto P. Duran Premium line. It offers a nice range of flavors, it’s not overpowering with the strength and I feel like with those flavors it can pair well with a range of spirits. I could see this settling in with a nice scotch, bourbon, or rum and offering up differences throughout the entire line up. So if you get a chance when you’re at your local shop ask them if they carry this line. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what it has in store.
