The Micallef “A” is a brick and mortar exclusive that was originally launched in 2020 as a churchill and has subsequently had a few different vitolas released since its inception. The cigar is named in honor of its Ambassador program that is considered one of the most successful programs in the industry bringing together a strong core community.

Under the Lid

Let’s look under the lid of this latest release and see what sets this new vitola apart from the rest of the A line.

Currently, there is the Churchill (6 3/4 x 54), Gordo (6 x 60), Lowercase A (4 x 46) and now the robusto (5 x 50).

• Origin: Nicaragua

• Factory: Micallef Cigars S.A.

• Wrapper: Nicaragua Maduro

• Binder: Sumatra

• Fillers: Nicaragua and Dominican Republic

• Vitola: 5 x 50

• MSRP: $8.75

• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production

• Number of Cigars Smoked for Review: Two

The Micallef A Robusto is wrapped in a medium dark wrapper with a minor amount of oil and a nice smooth mat texture. There are visible thin veins with tight wrapper seams, and a nicely applied cap. There are a few minor physical blemishes. The wrapper has an aroma of mild pepper and barnyard, the foot has an aroma of mild dark fruit sweetness like fig or raisins, and the cold draw has notes of mild generic sweetness.

Performance Notes

First Third: On light up the Micallef A robusto opens up with notes of coffee, leather, mild red pepper spice, and oak. The profile has those rich coffee and leather notes up front with the pepper and oak playing nicely in the background. As the first third develops the coffee and leather notes fall to the background and the oak note alongside some earth comes to the forefront of the profile. There is a mild dark fruit sweetness on the finish. The rest of the first third continues quite consistently with notes of oak, earth, leather, while coffee, and mild sweetness hint in the background. The retrohale adds notes of mild pepper spice, and a mild generic sweetness, while the finish is slightly drying with some notes of wood. Strength is medium, flavor is medium, and body is medium.

The second third continues with notes of oak, pepper, and earth, and the notes of coffee and mild sweetness have almost fully dropped off. There is a hint of vegetal bitterness that creeps into the profile and lingers a bit into the finish. The second third does not develop too much away from the base notes of oak, pepper, and earth and stays quite consistent. Occasionally a mild nuttiness enters the profile but does not hold consistently. The retrohale is mild pepper and the finish is becoming slightly more drying and oaky. Strength is medium, flavor is medium, and body is medium.

The final third starts to become quite oak forward alongside notes of pepper and subtle vegetal notes. There is the occasional hint of sweetness. There is very little change through the final third as charred oak and vegetal notes dominate the profile. The retrohale adds a mild pepper and the finish is drying.

Construction wise the cigar required no relights, but a few minor touch ups to keep things fully lit and on the path, and some very minor waviness in the burnline. I did notice however that the cigars did get a bit warm by the final third no matter how slow I was puffing. The draw was great on one sample and slightly on the open side for another. I noticed that the ash did not want to hold on too long and so I found ash was falling on me more than usual.

Smokin Experience

The Micallef A Robusto really starts out with some nice complexity of flavors that are balanced and appealing  playing with those richer coffee and leather notes upfront and with the spice in the background. But unfortunately as the cigar goes on I found it to become slightly linear in profile and lose a lot of its complexity, having it mainly revolve around notes of oak and pepper. The vegetal bitterness is not overpowering but it’s definitely present throughout the second half of the cigar. The cigar lost a few points in construction, and the fact the nice flavor profile at the beginning did not hold up through the entire cigar.

Smokin Facts

• Micallef made this cigar in honor of their Ambassadors who are a fanbase who help represent the brand

• The Micallef Ambassadors are one of the most dedicated fan bases in the cigar community

• The Micallef A uses short filler versus long filler

Smokin Wrap

• Average Smoking Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

• Samples Smoked: Two

• Score: 88

Mitchell Santaga

Mitchell Santaga started his journey into tobacco in 2010 by trying different flavored and machine-made cigars while enjoying a handle of Jack Daniels. Shortly after that he yearned for a more premium experience and dove headfirst into pipe tobacco that his local tobacconist blended.

Being a Canadian resident, the tobacconist introduced Mitchell to Cuban cigars and for special occasions he would light up a Cuban cigar. After exploring the Cuban portfolio, he stumbled into new world cigars and fell in love with the bold flavors and great consistency and construction. Ever since then he has been entrenched in exploring as much of the new world cigars and finding his favorites to keep in the humidor.