Cigar Revisit: Macanudo 1968

Toro, 6" x 54 ring gauge
A year ago I had my first experience with the Macanudo 1968 shortly after it was introduced. I remember it being more flavorful than others in the Mac line, but I also remember it getter bitter, then dull, as the cigar progressed and I walked away unimpressed. I received 3 cigars from General Cigars in their promo for the Mac 68 and that left two sticks to put into my aging humidor. A year later, it's time to see if some aging has mellowed out the bitter flavors and improved the experience.

The Macanudo 1968 is composed of filler from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, a Habano Connecticut binder, and a Honduran wrapper. The cigar looks well-constructed except for a small blemish near the head. The aroma from the wrapper is barnyard and the foot gives off just a little chocolate along with some compost. The prelight draw was easy and the flavors had some chocolate and hints of spice.

After lighting, flavors of coffee and cocoa came through in a strictly medium-bodied smoke. There is a bit of black pepper in there, too. Before the first third was over, the stick developed a canoe you could paddle to the Gulf of Mexico in. I tried to let it self-correct, but it refused, so I taught it "the way of the flame."

The canoe did not get any better in the second third and was joined by a tightening draw. I corrected the burn; I corrected the draw. The flavor was more of a black coffee and roasted nuts by this time. Not bad, but the construction issues were very irritating.

As the final third started it seemed the burn would finally settle down evenly and the draw was working fine, too. The flavors had changed again with some leather to go along with the black coffee. Poor construction aside, this cigar was totally different from my first experience with the Mac 68. The flavors were good and complex and never got bitter or boring. I look forward to trying the others still resting in my humidor to see if they are better in the construction area.

Body: 6/10
Strength: 6/10
Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: .5/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7/10