The Particulars

The Review

This review for the Definition 919 Habano (Turquoise Band) - Robusto Grande (Box Press) (5.5 x 54) is based on the journal entry dated 2025-07-16

Appearance & Construction (0-3):  Good (3)

I find Ecuadorian Habano leaf tends to be pretty reliable if a bit nondescript. So, we have a light brown wrapper that has a light sheen, minimal mottling, and no noticeable tooth. The veins are few and all thin; anything visible is pressed in with the soft box press. I say soft because the edges are rounding in spots even though it’s pressed into a more rectangular shape. It has a soft texture, light density, and is a little squishy. The seams are tight and the triple cap is perfect. I love the bright and intense color of the turquoise band against the wrapper.

Draw (0-3) & Burn (0-4):  Average (2) / Average (2)

No surprises, the draw is loose and on the open side, reflecting its less dense feel. Since this one didn’t have the closed foot, it toasted easily and quickly, but still starts off unevenly. An inch in, the burn line is improving but still wavy. The ash is a light gray with dark and thick banding but also fragile and flaky. I can see it developing cracks barely an inch in where it will break free, so I ash early on this one. I’m finding this cigar is burning the filler faster, tunneling down the center, and needs two relights during the smoke.

Flavor Profile (0-5):  Good (3)

I take my first draw and I get a mouthful of honey-roasted peanuts. Quelle surprise! So yeah, heavy nuttiness, toasted cedar, honey sweetness, and a little saltiness are immediate. Medium baking cocoa, baking spice, light coffee, and pepper are next. This is a drier profile. I’m getting a slightly astringent, borderline licorice bitter aftertaste. It’s quite smooth right now, no harshness, but it’s lacking that rich creaminess on the finish I would expect. I think that mild creaminess is why I’m picking up more of that astringency.

With the second third, the profile increases in toasted cedar notes, with a little less nuttiness. The astringency has calmed for now but no real uptick in creaminess. Still very dry, and that’s exacerbated with a slight increase in baking cocoa and coffee-grounds-like flavor. I’m bummed at this point because the blend started off with a bang and it’s currently limping into the final third. It’s just a little underwhelming, going mild and extra dry.

The final third improves a bit, bringing the flavor strength back. While we started with honey-roasted peanuts, we’re finishing with toasted cedar, baking cocoa, baking spice, and coffee as the driving flavors. Astringency has shifted to proper dark chocolate and coffee bitter. Nuttiness never left, but it’s a supporting cast member at this point and the sweetness is now missing. Still very good in terms of balance and smoothness, but a bit of a letdown compared to the beginning.

Overall Experience (0-5):  Good (3)

This cigar felt like a tease because I really enjoyed the first third, but the progression through the end wasn’t where I hoped the cigar would go. That’s more personal preference than anything. Coffee drinkers should really enjoy this as a morning cigar with coffee. High praise for avoiding any harshness, but I missed the creaminess and nutty notes as they fell back. Still a solid blend, and it will make the folks who like dry, cedary cigars happy.

Review Base Rating (0-5):

3.25

Would I Buy It Again?

Most likely (good stick, but look for a deal)

Review Final Score (0-10):

6.67

Overall Score and Individual Journal Entries

While the review is based off one instance of journaling this cigar; there’s a number of reasons you can have different experiences smoking the same cigar multiple times. A blend can evolve with age (for better or worse), palates evolves, preferences change, and sometimes you just get a bad example!  This section captures the ratings from each journal entry and the related journal photo.  Below you’ll find an aggregate score based on every time the cigar has been journaled. Unless it was a gift or on-off smoke, this section will be updated every time I journal this cigar!

The Flavor Wheel

With every cigar I journal, I capture simple ratings of the basic flavor categories that I experience.  These are more generalized than what you would see in a review, but a distinct profile can still be built out.  When multiple instances of the same cigar have been journaled, the scores are averaged out in an attempt to build a reliable flavor profile based on my palate.

The values entered for the strength of each flavor range from 0 to 3.

• 0:   No flavor detected
• 1:   Mild flavor
• 2:   Medium flavor
• 3:   Strong flavor

Note: desktop / large screens will see a flavor wheel while mobile / small screens will see a bar chart.

With every cigar I journal, I capture simple ratings of the basic flavor categories that I experience.  These are more generalized than what you would see in a review, but a distinct profile can still be built out.  When multiple instances of the same cigar have been journaled, the scores are averaged out in an attempt to build a reliable flavor profile based on my palate.

The values entered for the strength of each flavor range from 0 to 3.

• 0:   No flavor detected
• 1:   Mild flavor
• 2:   Medium flavor
• 3:   Strong flavor

Note: desktop / large screens will see a flavor wheel while mobile / small screens will see a bar chart.