Neya Classic Cañonazo by Roberto Duran Cigars | Cigar Review

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 52 “Cañonazo-Toro”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $6.00 MSRP

Today we take a look at the Neya Classic Cañonazo by Roberto Duran Cigars.
Many thanks to Jack Torano (Regional Sales Manager Marketing & Public Relations) for the samples.

Photo of Roberto P. Duran:

Photo of Jack Torano:

DESCRIPTION:
It debuted at the 2014 IPCPR trade show.
Regular production.

I reviewed the terrific Neya F8 Ligero Typhoon a couple weeks ago. Great cigar.
The difference between the two blends is that the F8 was designed to be a power house.

The stick’s wrapper is an oily graham cracker brown color. Very smooth to the touch. Seams are tight. Not very many small veins but a couple of big honkers.
And lastly, the stick is solid. No soft spots.

According to the web site, this Classic provides an EPF experience. Cigar Coop explains it perfectly (Learn something here nephews…I did): “(Evolution and Progressive Flavor). EPF is based on an old Cuban tradition where the flavor gains strength and intensity from beginning to end. This was reflected in the intensity of the body of this cigar. The Neya Classic started out medium-bodied, but in the last third it had progressed into medium to full-bodied territory. As for the strength level, the strength also started out medium. As the smoking experience professed, there was a slight increase in the nicotine level, but for the most part the Neya Classic remained a medium strength cigar.”

Thank you Cigar Coop!
You learn something every day. Of course when you have Alzheimer’s, you learn the same thing every day and the day after and day after, etc. LOL.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Petite Corona: 5.125 x 42 $4.00 MSRP
Robusto: 4.875 x 50 $5.00 MSRP
Cañonazo: 6 x 52 $6.00 MSRP
Most online stores sell the three sizes for about 75¢ less. But these cigars are so inexpensively priced that the price difference is no big deal.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell light floral notes, sweetness, spice, honeysuckle, and gingerbread.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell strong black pepper, floral notes, honeysuckle, sweetness, roasted nuts, fruit, and cedar.
The cold draw presents flavors of honey, black pepper, graham cracker, sweetness, floral notes, lemon citrus, and cedar.

FIRST THIRD:
Perfect draw.
Plus a great start to the cigar.

A bushel full of black and red pepper smacks me right in the kisser. I love it already.
Immediately, a flood of flavors: Coffee, malts, graham cracker, a summer fruit element, sweetness, almonds (Marzipan), cashew and hazelnut, and cedar.

I’m impressed. Any time a cigar starts out like this, I have high hopes. If the EPF theory works, it means that things will just get better and better. That’s just fine with me.

To be honest, I was a bit concerned that such an inexpensive cigar would be this good. But my fears should have been allayed due to the magnificence of the Neya F8…which I rated at 90. I smoked one since the review and it had become a real ball buster in just a couple of weeks. So I went back and changed my rating to 93.
Flavors are still adding to the flavor profile: Creaminess, chocolate, vanilla, and shortbread cookies.

Complexity settles in at only an inch burned. The balance is near perfect. And it has a long creamy finish.
The construction is doing fine. It has sort of a rustic quality but the rollers knew what they were doing. No char line issues. No errant wrapper issues.

I’m not kidding dear readers; this inexpensive stick is blowing my mind. (Sorry. 1968 flashback). I checked Cbid but nothing there. But honestly, a box of 20 Toros for $108 is chicken feed based on the quality I am enjoying. I checked online and every big store is selling the Classic for the exact same price.

Strength started out at medium body. As I near the second third, the strength begins to rise.
I could smoke this baby all day long.
The Neya Classic Cañonazo by Roberto Duran Cigars is now an official flavor bomb.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 34 minutes.
Flavors move around a bit: Black pepper, creaminess, peanut, chocolate, vanilla, coffee, assorted roasted nuts, summer fruit, graham cracker, cedar, and dark earth.

Now I’ve only allowed the Neya Classic Cañonazo by Roberto Duran Cigars to humidor rest for less than two weeks. I had pretty good luck with the Neya F8, so I thought I’d give it a shot and roll the dice. This is my first of the samples that Jack T. sent me. I figured if it wasn’t ready, I try another day. But this baby is definitely New Breed style of blending. As in Old School blending which means the humidor time is excruciatingly long.

The char line has only needed a minor touch up. Mostly for a pretty photo than really necessary.
Strength is medium/full.
Duran Cigars has several different lines: Azan, Signature Line, Baracoa, and NicaTabaco Factory Blend No.2.
I’d love to review them all. Jack did send me a bunch of Azan. He sent the White Premium Line and the Burgundy Line. I would like him to send me the Azan Maduro Natural Line as well.

The halfway point is here. Smoke time is 50 minutes.
The Neya Classic Cañonazo does just what it is advertised to do: EPF. It continues to get better and stronger with each puff.

I can’t thank Jack Torano enough for opening my eyes on the Neya line. He did me a real solid with giving me samples.
Lawdy, lawdy. I don’t know how, or why, but the Neya Classic Cañonazo continues on its quest to be the creamiest cigar I’ve smoked.
There is an addition of creamy caramel.
Now for the delineation of the malts: Cara Munich Malt, Chocolate Rye Malt, Coffee Malt, and Honey Malt. (See Malt Chart).

I dig how the spiciness hasn’t lost track or gotten lost in the cornucopia of flavors. This is “exactly” how I like my cigars to taste. A continuous underpinning of spiciness that gives the cigar some zest and oomph.

Meanwhile, the stronger it gets, the smoother it gets. I expect the last third will see the Neya Classic Cañonazo hit full body.

The Neya Classic Cañonazo is a stick you don’t want to end. Time flies. And so do the transitions. Without major transitions, any cigar is a dud. The whole key to a fine smoke are those transitions that keep you guessing at to what is up next.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 10 minutes.
I am flummoxed as to how I shall rate the Neya Classic Cañonazo. I don’t want to make the same mistake I did with the Neya F8 and under rate it. And then two weeks later, it’s a much better cigar. I’ll figure it out.

The strength is now full body. But ever so smooth.
This is a must try cigar blend. You don’t need to wait for any special or worry about promo codes. Go to any of the big online stores and snag a 5 pack of Toros for $28.50. And the robusto 5 pack is $24.00. And the Petite Corona 5 pack is $19.00. You can’t lose.

The Neya Classic Cañonazo is a major flavor bomb now. I’ve refrained from using that term because it was brought to my attention quite a while back I used that phrase too much. So I’ve been careful to only use it when there is truly no other way to describe it.

Hell, even I can afford a 5 pack…without the wife getting angry at me. In fact, I stopped writing and ambled over to CI and bought a 5 pack of the Petite Coronas. Something tells me this will be an incredibly intense blend. I expect a whoopin’ from Charlotte but I can take it.

The Neya Classic Cañonazo by Roberto Duran Cigars will definitely make “The Katman’s List of 157 Great Cigars in the $5.00-$8.00 Range.”
I should put it at the top of the list. But I don’t list the cigars in order of preference. Just as I review them.
The cigar has it all: Spiciness, intense flavors, ever so smooth, strength, character, balance, finish, and deep complexity.
Thank you Jack for starting my new year with a bang.

RATING: 92