Nub Cameroon Staff Review
If you would have asked me 10 years ago if I thought Nub cigars were a gimmick, I would have answered “yes” without hesitation. However, here we are 10 years after the debut of Nub and the brand is stronger than ever. In a world that was dominated by Robustos, Toros and Churchills, Oliva took a big gamble that paid off in spades. Who’d a thunk that an entire line of 4-inch cigars with ring gauges around 1-inch in diameter would be such a hit? For those who are unaware, the ring gauge of a cigar is measured in 64ths of an inch. The most popular Nub size is the 460, which has a 60-ring gauge, or 60/64ths of an inch.
Nub is available in 5 wrapper varieties: Cameroon, Connecticut, Habano, Maduro, and Corojo. Today I’ll be smoking the Nub Cameroon 460. The Cameroon wrapper is very rugged in appearance; dark brown and veiny. Underneath is a blend of finely aged Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The cigar itself is firmly packed without a single soft spot to be found. Pre-light aromas are loaded with sweet barnyard notes and a dash of chocolate. Once cut, the cold draw paints a slightly different picture, as notes of peanut and coffee stand out. Now, let’s light this bad boy up and see what it offers.
Initial flavors reveal the strong nuttiness I experienced on the cold draw, as well as a delightfully mild spice. As the tobaccos slowly warm up, bitter notes of dark chocolate and roasted coffee beans enter the fold. Around the half-inch mark, the spiciness picks up and balances out the profile nicely.
After about 20 minutes of smoking, I finally reach the second inch of the cigar. The sweet chocolate notes have disappeared and an earthy flavor emerges. Leather and oak accompany the more dominant notes of coffee throughout the next inch or so.
The final act of Nub Cameroon is unlike the rest of the cigar. The profile is full of nuttiness and a bit of bean flavor. The combination of pepper and lentils reminds me of red beans and rice. As I round out the last inch, I notice the coffee and wood flavors that were present during the first 3 quarters had completely vanished. Overall, the flavor profile kept me interested and entertained throughout the entire ride.
In summary, I have nothing negative to say about Nub. The burn was excellent. This cigar burned for just over an hour. Yes, a 4-inch cigar actually lasted more than an hour. The draw has perfect resistance, but make sure to smoke it slow. If you puff too fast, Nub tends to heat up tremendously. Smoke production was above average and gave off a wonderful room note. Strength teetered right on the medium-bodied border, clocking in at 5 out of 10. Lastly, if you are a fan of a tight ash, take notice. The ash remained intact for the entire duration and I was able to do the famous “Nub Stand” (where you can set the cigar upright on its ash after you’ve smoked it) without incident.
If Nub Cameroon sounds like your cup of tea, explore our list of the best Nub cigars to smoke, and keep an eye on our email specials for the lowest Nub prices in the country. Nub cigars make regular appearances in our daily deal rotation, plus you can smoke them all for a big discount in our ultra-popular Nub ‘Stub Club’ Monster Deal.
