Alright, all you Te-Amo smokers out there...all three of you.
I got some samples from RTDA of the new Te-Amo World Selection and they were interesting.
There's a Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan version (in order from mildest to strongest) -- the marketing slogan is "taste the world" -- and they're well-priced smokes, a little veiny and rustic with a slight box press but they burned and drew well.
I smoked the Honduran and Nicaraguan and, for those who like a little hit of Mexican tobacco in their blends, not bad at all. I was told they use a Mexican binder but the rest of the tobacco is imported.
Anyway, both cigars had a core of distinctive Mexican "earthiness" but wrapped around that were the flavors you'd associate from a Nicaraguan cigar with a reddish sun grown wrapper or a Honduran cigar with a nice Corojo leaf on top.
Make no mistake: They're not for everybody. But for those looking to ease their way into trying some Mexican tobacco, or Mexican cigar lovers who want to branch out and enjoy a smoke with a little more diversity, they could be just the ticket.
The robustos I tried are supposed to sell in the $3-$4 range. These days, that's not bad.
