Review of Macanudo Inspirado Red Cigar

In March 2018, General Cigar released a new Macanudo Inspirado cigar as part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Macanudo brand. The new Macanudo Inspirado Red cigar is made with a blend of rare aged Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos wrapped in Ecuadorian Habano ligero. These cigars are available in three sizes, including a box pressed Robusto (5 x 50) that was sampled for this review. The cigars are very modestly priced between $6.49 and $7.49 per single stick, depending on size (tip: save about a dollar per cigar by purchasing online in a 5-pack). For more info, please check out the press release.

Macanudo has evolved during the last several years with the addition of some bolder and stronger cigars. The Inspirado Red is the latest step in that evolution. This is not a mild-to-medium cigar for beginners and occasional smokers, but a full bodied smoke that is meant for more seasoned cigar smokers. The cigar began with a good dose of pepper and spice flavors, but not too much. The box pressed cigar had a good feel, was very well made, and delivered a generous amount of smoke. The full bodied smoke gradually became a bit stronger after 10 to 15 minutes, as the pepper tamed down a bit and an earthy flavor with spice took over. The cigar held a long ash and had an even burn. Although the cigar never went out, a couple of booster lights were applied to keep the burn level optimal, but no touch-ups were needed just to keep the burn line even.

It took me almost a full hour to smoke the five-inch Robusto down to two inches remaining. The cigar remained flavorful and full bodied to the end, with only subtle changes after the first 10 minutes or so. Although promoted as a bold cigar, experienced smokers won't have to worry about it becoming overpowering. However, beginners would most likely enjoy a mild-to-medium Macanudo more than an Inspirado Red. My first impression of the new Macanudo Inspirado Red Robusto is that this cigar easily deserves a rating of at least 4 points on a 5-point scale, and that some improvement is possible with age.