Nat Cicco HHB Gold Cigar Review.

Brand History:

Distributer Zander-Greg has announced the launch and availability of the Nat Cicco HHB Gold. This cigar is meant to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Nat Cicco brand. The HHB Gold is a revamping of a previously announced cigar line called the Nat Cicco HHB Habano.

In 1965, Nat Cicco (SEEK-oh) Churchill and Robusto Rejects first appeared.  Their  marketing concept first startled, then fired the cigar world’s imagination.  They were the original cigars based on the idea of bargain-priced, hand-rolled cigars on the “factory rejects” theme.

They are hardly rejects, though, with fillers of extra-select-grade, medium-length Picadura (tobacco remnants), from Connecticut, Honduran and Dominican tobaccos … from some of America’s most prestigious and sought-after premium cigars.
Nat Cicco Rejects dominated that market segment for over three decades, until distribution problems stifled sales for Nat Cicco cigars.  This left a vacuum, which was gradually filled by competitors’ similarly-branded but lower-quality budget cigars.  “Factory seconds,” “throw-outs” and other names began to capitalize on what has become a burgeoning market segment … budget-conscious smokers.

In 2007, Zander-Greg, Inc., a Pasadena, California-based importer/distributor, acquired the distribution rights for the entire Nat Cicco lineup of affordable cigars.  At the time, the industry was gearing up to meet this demand, just as the difficult economy awakened smokers to their performance and quality for the price.  Those two factors made Nat Cicco the right cigar for the time … and beyond.  Zander-Greg’s management was surprised to learn that without  emphasizing the line, Nat Cicco sales still doubled in their first three years following their 2007 Zander-Greg re-launch.  Past retailers and smokers alike began returning with enthusiasm.  Thus, Zander-Greg’s acumen in acquiring the venerable brand, and their ambitious sales efforts laid a solid foundation for recapturing Nat Cicco’s former market dominance.

Appearance :

A dark chocolate brown wrapper with a pleasant pre-light smell of earthy notes. Noticeable oils and a great looking pigtail cap.

Journey Profile:

1st Third

Lit and generous amounts of smoke are offered by a fairly easy draw.  Very mild flavors and body at the first with a gradual build to a well-balanced medium body.  Rich aroma with earthiness and spices now coming into the mix towards the end of the 1^st third.

2^nd Third:

Some spice in the nose and some on the palate.  Sweet notes in the aroma with a lot of earth and spices in the flavor.  Medium-full body with a lot of flavor. Dense smoke with a long finish and an even burn and a long ash.

Final 3^rd:

Creaminess with some underlying sweetness on the palate with a evenly amount of spices.  Full tobacco flavored with cedar flavors on the palate.  Spices through the nose and on the palate increased.  A full mouth feel of earth mix of coffee and peppery spice texture.

Final Thoughts:

Medium bodied from start to finish.Very consistent aroma and flavor profile filled with some earthy notes and spices.  Incredibly smooth draw with a perfect amount of character with a lot of flavor and balance.  Excellent construction and burn.  A bit of sweetness in the flavor with an overall steady strength and flavors.  A very well made cigar to the finish.

 

Myron Gooch Sr.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano.

Binder: Nicaraguan.

Filler: Nicaraguan.

Size: 73/4” x 54.

Rating: 87