Bonita Bonita Bonita Robusto

📌 Brand: Privada Cigar Club
📌 Line: Bonita Bonita Bonita
📌 Size: Robusto (5" × 50)
📌 Weight: 14.0 g
📌 Age: 3 years
📌 Origin: Dominican Republic

‍ ‍Tasting Notes

• Dark Chocolate – Rich cocoa at the core

• Cedar – Dry woody character throughout

• Toasted Almond – Nutty sweetness beneath the darker flavours

• Black Pepper – Noticeable spice that becomes sharper as the cigar progresses

First Impressions

Bonita Bonita Bonita is an interesting boutique release produced at Tabacalera La Isla in the Dominican Republic, using a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over Dominican binder and fillers. The dark wrapper looks rich and oily, with aromas of cocoa, cedar, nuts, and earth. Unfortunately, the cold draw is immediately tighter than I would like, and that resistance becomes one of the defining problems of the smoke.

Smoking Experience

• First Third – Opens with dark chocolate, cedar, toasted almond, and black pepper. There is some sweetness underneath and the flavours initially show promise, but the tight draw makes it difficult to generate enough smoke without working the cigar harder than it should need.

• Second Third – Cocoa and cedar remain at the centre while earth and pepper become stronger. Unfortunately, the extra effort required because of the restricted draw seems to work against the cigar. The smoke becomes warmer and the profile starts developing a harsh edge, taking away much of the refinement.

• Final Third – The pepper, earth, and darker roasted flavours intensify, but so does the harshness. There are still flashes of chocolate and cedar underneath, but the tight draw prevents the cigar from ever settling into a comfortable rhythm. By the end, the harsher elements are dominating the experience.

Pairings

• Alcohol – Armagnac Delord 25 Year - Mature dried fruit, vanilla, caramel, and oak bring sweetness and softness against the cigar's darker San Andrés character.

• Tea – Golden Monkey Black Tea - Malty sweetness and gentle cocoa notes complement the chocolate and toasted-nut profile while providing some relief from the sharper finish.

Music Pairing

“I Put a Spell on You” – Samantha Fish
Dark and powerful with plenty of attitude, matching the personality of the cigar.

Final Thoughts

Bonita Bonita Bonita has an interesting blend on paper and there are moments where the dark chocolate, cedar, toasted nuts, and pepper suggest there is a considerably better cigar hiding underneath. The problem with this particular example is that I never really get the chance to experience it properly. The tight draw makes the cigar unnecessarily difficult to smoke, while the resulting profile becomes quite harsh as it progresses. Instead of relaxing into the blend and exploring its flavours, I spend too much of the smoke fighting against it.

Final Score: 6/10

Why not a 10?
The draw was too tight and restricted the cigar throughout the smoke, while the flavour profile developed a noticeable harshness as it progressed. There were some enjoyable flavours underneath, but the construction and lack of refinement prevented them from properly shining.

Only cigars that deliver flawless draw, balance, flavour evolution, construction and satisfaction get a 10.