Summary:

A solid cigar that delivers excellent flavor in a mild to medium-bodied smoke. Never bitter, never harsh, always flavorful — but one dimensional and much milder than its dark Oscuro wrapper might lead you to expect. Very sensitive to humidity as well, and its finicky nature loses it points because of the effect it has on draw, burn and flavor. Still, a very good cigar and a definite step up from the regular Onyx line.

Background Information:

This beautiful 7 inch, 50 ring gauge, figurado is long for a traditional Belicoso. It is a mild to medium-bodied cigar with an Oscuro Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and a Nicaraguan binder. The filler a blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian tobaccos. Manufactured by Tabacalera de Garcia Ltd. in the Dominican Republic for Altadis.

From the Manufacturer:

“The Onyx Reserve is a new blend of the traditional Onyx series. Fuller in body and richer in flavor, this cigar is comprised of a complex blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian long-filler tobaccos wrapped in a coal-black Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper - a very satisfying cigar.”

Cigar Envy Cigar Review:

Appearance:  10 of 10 points

The Onyx is probably one of the darkest cigars you are ever likely to see. It is a true Oscuro (or Double Maduro), with a beautiful oily, almost silky appearance. The No. 2 Belicoso is box-pressed and the presentation and feel of the cigar is excellent. A very attractive smoke.

Aroma:  15 of 15 points

Pre-light aroma of sweet chocolate mingled with some earthiness and a sweet spice. Very pleasant.

The smoke aroma is extremely good. Very woodsy, with strong cedar notes coming through from beginning to end.

Burn:   10 of 10 points

The cigar burns very well. I had no problems with uneveness in any of the ones I smoked. Also, it stays lit without constant attention. The light-colored ash holds very firm for an incredibly long time.

Consistency:   12 of 15 points

The cigar is very consistent after the first few moments of smoking on through to the end. In fact, it is perhaps a bit too consistent — rather one-dimensional. The cigars that I sampled were also consistent from one to another. Once I had smoked one, I knew what to expect with the next one.

The problem, as I’ll go into next, is that it takes a bit of extra work on your part to keep them consistent through very picky humidification requirements (I believe). Because of that, they score lower than they ordinarily would in this category.

Construction:   7 of 10 points

Probably the biggest negative is the construction. The texture of the wrapper is not as good as the appearance. The cigar itself looks well-made, but the composition seems to be very — and I mean very — sensitive to humidity. I put as many back into the humidor for being too soft and moist as I took out and chose to smoke. I am keeping these in a slightly drier humidor now, and I think that should solve the problem. 69-70% is just too high for them in my opinion.

Even while trying to be careful in what I picked, however, one of the three I smoked for this review had some draw problems and a noticeable soft spot. Another seemed to have been a bit too dry, smoking a little hotter than the others and eventually splitting. That is why I say they are very sensitive to humidity — find the magic number and these are an exceptional smoke. This is a cigar that might benefit from being kept in a small humidor of its own at the temperature and humidity you personally find best for your smoking enjoyment. I think you’ll agree that they should be kept a bit drier than your other cigars.

Draw:   9 of 10 points

The draw was basically excellent except in the one I mentioned above. When they are good, they are very good. In fairness, the draw is much better than it was a year or so back, so something seems to have been attempted even if it wasn’t totally successful. If you tried an Onyx a while ago and had draw problems, you might want to give it another try.

Flavor:   26 of 30 points

This is a full-flavored cigar, but it is also a mild to medium-bodied cigar. The dark wrapper can be deceptive and lure you into thinking that this is a powerhouse that will knock you flat. Well, in a way it is. However it is much more a fist in a velvet glove. Deceptively mild. Flavorful. Spicy. Sweet. Yet all of that is wrapped up in a very mellow package.

That pre-light aroma of sweet chocolate I mentioned above gives way in the first few puffs to a distinct taste of bittersweet chocolate. This soon evens out as the cigar warms into a sweet chocolate taste, and for the rest of the smoke there is absolutely no bitterness or bite. Throughout the smoke, there is a nuttiness present — sometimes reminiscent of almonds — that mingles well with the chocolate. There are also spicy overtones that become more noticeable starting about one-third to half-way through the cigar. An anise note was what I was most conscious of, and I’m a sucker for anise. Add a point or so because of my weakness. . . and for how well the Onyx Reserve Belicoso goes with a glass of Pernod.

Combine all of this with that woodsy, cedary aroma and you have a very pleasant mix. The sweetness increases a bit in the somewhat short, but very smooth, finish.

As I said, a very pleasant smoke. The biggest flavor negative is the one-dimensional consistency I mentioned above. If that isn’t a problem for you, then you’ll rate the flavor even higher than I do. For me, each time I smoke one of these I end up expecting a little something more to kick in and strengthen, but that never comes.

But that doesn’t stop me from smoking them. It shouldn’t stop you either.

Number Sampled For Review:   Four.

Other Reviewers:

Cigar Aficianado rated the Onyx Reserve Belicoso at an 88 most recently, down a single point from another rating a couple of years before. They commented on “some anise notes and a touch of sweetness,” as well as saying that “the smoke is cedary, spicy and leathery, with a medium body.”

Price:

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is US $105.00 per box of 20 ($5.25 each).

TNT Cigars is the low price leader at only US $64.95 per box (about $3.25 a stick and a savings of 38% off retail). The next best price is at Best Cigar Prices at U.S. $69.00 per box 0f 20 ($3.45 each, or about 1/3 off retail). Atlantic Cigar comes in at a virtual tie for second at $70.25 per box. Other retailers are charging in the mid to upper 70’s.

Two places that I know of have them by the five pack: Famous Smoke Shop is listing them at $23/95 ($4.79 each), and Holt’s Cigar Company offers them for $26.25 (That works out equal to the suggested retail of $5.25 each). This is one you might definitely want to look for at CigarBid, Cigar Auctioneer, or the JR Cigars Auction.

Prices do not include shipping and are current at the time of this review.