BACKGROUND: The Cru Royale is made in the Dominican Republic with a pretty intricate filler blend that includes Brazilian Mata Fina, Dominican Republic, and Nicaraguan tobaccos. The binder is a Dominican La Vega Especial and the wrapper is Ecuadorian Habano. That is a pretty sophisticated blend considering the cigar retails for around $5.80 per stick.

Interestingly, before my recent trip to the Dominican Republic, I had never smoked a Cru Royale and I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, the blend that I made while at the factory used very similar tobaccos. Mata Fina for sweetness, Dominican Piloto Cubano for strength and flavor and Nicaraguan Ometepe for spice.

This cigar was developed by Benji Menendez and Francisco Rodriguez and is a real departure from the original Mac. The dark Habano wrapper leaf is contrasted nicely with a band that is mostly silver with turquoise accents and black lettering and trim. While the wrapper leaf was a bit mottled, the cigar seemed structurally sound and, in the end, I decided it would be safe to light up...

TASTING NOTES: The flavor is initually rife with coffee and cocoa bean characters that are melded together in a medium-bodied framework. Retrohaling brings a healthy mix of sweetness, black pepper spice and aromatic wood.

This Mac, besides being medium in body, is also medium in strength, but it has a zesty flavor profile that makes a distinct and positive impact on the palate and should appeal to a wide range of folks.

The second half brought more tobacco sweetness to the palate and a lingering coffee flavor on the finish.

FINAL THOUGHTS: The Cru Royale is a cigar you can use to surprise your cigar smoking friends. It’s a solid smoke at a fair price and would make a great everyday smoke. This one won't win any "best of show" awards and yet this is a cigar to try, especially if you haven't already done so. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with this new-breed of Macanudo.

~Doc