Info:
Total Flame Cigars was started in 2010 by Russian owners Vladimir Roschin and Maxim Privezentsev. I included some more information about them and the company in the FTW review. One thing of note, Roschin and Maxim love to travel, particularly by motorcycle. From their website, it appears that this particular cigar is an homage to returning home from extensive travels. It also appears that the robusto is the only vitola it is available in.
Roschin and Privezentsev partnered with both the Plasencia and La Aurora factories to make their cigars. Until recently, they were only available in Russia, but can now be found here in the US and online. In addition to the FTW and Nicaragua, they also have the Bright and Dark lines as well.
As mentioned earlier, Total Flame Cigars sent this sample to us. We are grateful for the sample but it will not affect the rating.
Looks:
The Total Flame Nicaragua is not the most attractive cigar, more “middle of the road”, if you will. It has a light brown wrapper that has some veins and mostly smooth seams. There is some variance in color, with some areas appearing darker than others, but it gives the cigar a bit of a rustic look. It looks well packed and has a smooth, flush cap. Additionally, I am skeptical of the 50”ring gauge. It looks thinner than that to me, but I didn’t measure it so I have to take the manufacturer’s word for it.
The band is not as elaborate as the one on the FTW, but has some similarities. The overall shape resembles a motorcycle engine block. It has burnt sienna, orange, white, and chocolate colors. The print is orange and white. The trademark flames are also present on the sides. There is a thinner band under it that says Nicaragua 2013 on it. There is no foot band on this one. Both bands slide off easily with no damage to the wrapper.
Function:
The TF Nicaragua has a velvety feel to it. When I squeeze it, I do notice a couple of soft spots, but nothing major. I find this to be common on Connecticut wrappers as they tend to not be packed as firmly in most cases.
The foot has earth, grass, and hay aromas. The barrel has a faint grass scent. It is barely detectable.
I clip the cap to test the draw. The airflow is good. The notes I get are earth and hay. I believe the draw will be better on this one than the FTW. I hope I am right!
Smoking:
Just like the FTW, the Nicaragua is a little tough to light. Since this is a thinner Connecticut wrapper, I am worried about singeing it. Luckily, I am able to avoid that. Worthy of note is that it is raining and a little breezy that day, so I don’t really fault the cigar for the difficulty. Despite that, the burn is mostly even throughout the entire cigar.
The ash is mostly gray with some black and white peppered throughout. Even with the bad weather, the ash stays tight and lasts an inch at a time.
The draw ends up being perfect on this cigar. I get plenty of tasty smoke on each draw. It never gets tight, even with it being damp outside. Very enjoyable!
Flavor:
Since bands have a very minor influence on me in the way of impressions, I have been pleased with the Total Flame Nicaragua 2013 Robusto so far. But it’s got to deliver the goods. Please deliver the goods, little cigar!
The first third begins with a nice mix of white and black pepper (white on the draw, black on the finish) and grass. It quickly adds notes of nut and cayenne. Later on, some nice floral notes develop on the retrohale as the cayenne starts to fade. As it does, the nuts and grass start to strengthen.
The second third continues with the nuts and grass, adding earth and black pepper. Occasionally, I get some coffee notes as well. The floral notes are mostly present on the retrohale, as is the white pepper spice I got in the beginning.
The final third introduces a caramel note that sticks around until the end. The other flavors are present as well. Towards the end, it becomes mostly nutty and woody, with a major decrease in spice. I also get a touch of mint that mixes well with the caramel.
The Total Flame Nicaragua 2013 Robusto is medium in strength, medium full in flavor. Though the flavor spectrum sticks to about the same rotation of notes, they vary throughout the cigar, making it complex and interesting. It was very enjoyable! Smoke time was right at 1 hour.
Would I Buy It Again?
Yes!
Is It An Everyday Smoke?
Absolutely!
Would I Buy a Box?
Yes!
Conclusion
The Total Flame Nicaragua 2013 Robusto is a great cigar that I feel is priced perfectly. I am always looking for a great cigar that is around the $5 range (yeah, who the hell isn’t?) and this one is a definite winner. I really enjoyed the bouquet of flavors, how it varies throughout, the construction, and the price (did I mention that already?). I have come to really appreciate these types of flavors in a cigar over the last year or so, so it is right up my alley. Though I often say you should try a cigar, this recommendation is a strong one. I think you will be glad you did!
