Macanudo Inspirado Orange Staff Review
Technically, Inspirado Orange has been part of the iconic Macanudo portfolio for over ten years, dating back to the cigar’s debut as a European exclusive in 2014. It has been in the States since 2016. During that time, the folks at General Cigar, parent company of Macanudo, have steadily expanded the Inspirado line with a collection of new releases. Today, I’m firing up a 5-by-50 Robusto in the Inspirado Orange blend to accompany my earlier reviews of Inspirado Black and Inspirado White.
Macanudo cigars have been mainstays in humidors around the world since the 1970s. Inspirado Orange is a departure from the brand’s traditionally mild cigars, which are blended mostly for beginner smokers. The cigar features a cinnamon-brown Honduran wrapper leaf over an intricate blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran long-filler tobaccos. Macanudo Orange cigars come in dark orange boxes of 20, with matching orange and gold cigar bands.
After choosing an oily Robusto from a tidy row in a fresh box, a noticeable aroma of hickory and dark fruit emerges from the unlit foot when I hold the cigar up to my nose. The wrapper shows a few pronounced veins, and the cap comes off with a seamless slice between the blades of my guillotine cutter. Sweet and spicy notes of minerals, hickory, and black licorice characterize the cold taste, while the cigar offers an ample, easygoing draw.
The Robusto opens with a chalky profile of wood and spice when I gently toast the foot with my butane torch. There’s a slight bitterness in the first minutes, which unfold with nuances of minerals and earth. Astringent spices permeate my nasal cavity before settling into a smooth and woody bouquet. Macanudo Orange leaves a basic but manageable impression in the first third. This blend is a reliable everyday cigar to enjoy with a cold stout or a sip of rum. It’s a decent value for under ten bucks apiece.
An appealing room note fills the atmosphere in my office as hints of black currant and baking spices mingle over a classic profile of cedar and fresh tobacco. The Robusto burns at an ideal pace, leaving a solid ash at the end of the cigar. Macanudo Orange is more intense than the bestselling Macanudo Café, but it stops short of becoming full-bodied. The flavors gel nicely in the second half, although a dry aftertaste persists following each draw.
Hints of leather and mesquite materialize over the cigar’s chalky texture, while a faint sweetness echoes the best moments of the first half of the Robusto. The critics at Cigar Aficionado ranked Macanudo Orange in their ‘Top 25 Cigars of the Year’ for 2017. The blend was originally only available in brick-and-mortar shops before General Cigar increased the distribution for Inspirado Orange. Macanudo cigars enjoy a massive audience for the company’s milder blends, which became popular in the U.S. following the Cuban trade embargo. Inspirado Orange caters to consumers’ changing tastes for stronger cigars. However, there is also considerable competition from the growing number of full-bodied Nicaraguan blends available today.
Macanudo Inspirado Orange offers parting flavors of wheat bread, pepper, and cedar throughout a lingering finish. Although the cigar’s bitter, mineral-like quality meddled with the second half, the first third offered an inviting sweetness that left me craving more. The nub culminated with a slightly pungent taste. Additional aging could benefit the profile if I laid a few cigars to rest in my humidor for a few months. Consider adding Inspirado Orange cigars to your next order but let them mature for a while before you smoke one.
