INTRODUCTION
With Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust growing, the option for a “everyday smoke” was something Steve Saka found was missing in his portfolio. Utilizing the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that was rejected by quality control simply due to its shade, the Umbagog was born. Umbagog is a lake located on the border of New Hampshire and Maine which translates to “shallow water” from the Abenaki Indians. This cigar was crafted by Saka’s visions of his happy place and a task of making a cigar that could be affordable and durable. It is a modest cigar that a consumer can light as often as they wish or chew. The Bronzeback specifically uses a lower priming wrapper which delivers a spicier experience than its sister blend which utilizes CT darks.
UNDER THE LID
I enjoy the packagestore look that the packaging for the Umbagog presents. The cigar itself, despite being an economic cigar, has a gorgeous wrapper. The Bronzed lettering atop the matte green band perfectly complements the copper hue of the Connecticut wrapper. The cigars are firmly packed and have a rustic wrapper with tight and visible seams. The aroma off the wrapper is a manure with cedar. The foot aroma is the same with the addition of spice and oak. After a straight cut I found that the Bronzeback has a perfect draw. The cold draw has a subtle rye bread, earth, oak, and a soft spice on the tip of the tongue.
- Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf mid-cut 2LS
- Binder: Nicaraguan
- Filler: Nicaraguan
- Vitola: 5.00 x 48 robusto
- Factory: NACSA
- Released: April, 2024
- Box Quantity: Regular production
- MSRP: $9.75 (bundle of 10 $97.50)
PERFORMANCE NOTES
FIRST THIRD
The first puff from the Umbagog Bronzeback blasts a dry earth across my palate which is met by a rich oakwood along the sides and a slight vegetal front palate. A dark spice runs towards the back of the palate which is blended by a toasted almond. The retrohale is a creamy sweet smoke which is layered with red spice similar to a Mexican hot chocolate. Charred meat develops during the finish which is blended with pie crust, cinnamon, and a toffee sweetness for a medium finish. Very late finish that slight vegetal appears and fades out leaving a breadiness until the next draw. It is very interesting how the smoke upon draw has a sweet and savory effect on the palate causing me to salivate which is reversed by the dryness of the finishing aromas. The first third was consistent among all samples smoked for review with sample two having a more intense pepper through the retrohale. Performance wise, the smoke output is above average with a smooth draw which results in a tight white cloudy ash on all three samples.
SECOND THIRD
The second third of the Umbagog Bronzeback starts how the second sample did, with a robust spice on the palate and through the nose. The body and strength has increased to a medium +. The overall aromas appear to remain the same but the spice in the cigar is complex to the point where those aromas are consistently developing across the palate. The best way to describe the spice is a red pepper, it is sweet and vegetal. However, the spice gives the sensation of a spearmint on the palate and through the nose, a kind of cold tingling sensation that opens your senses and results in a sensitivity to the flavors. The pie crust develops to a more creamy doughy flavor where the oak wood develops a sweet hickory. There is no longer a dryness to the finish but instead is salty and charred. The finish is leathery and has a dark rich plum spice similar to perique. While the Bronzeback is a simple cigar for the daily smoker, the core flavors remain stagnant but their intensity changes in such a way that the palate is given the impression of constant change which keeps the cigar smoker engaged and intrigued. All three samples are performing the same with great smoke production, an even tight ash, and smooth draw.
FINAL THIRD
The Umbagog Bronzeback starts the final third with the same intense spice as the second left off. However, the blend has now ticked just beneath full. The complexity of the spice starts to unwind and the core earth, leather, and oak start to become more pronounced. The third sample had a more robust sweetness that had a smoked maple aroma through the finish. The closer the burn gets to the final nub, the more dark leather develops ahead of the other flavors. The finish now has a cocoa and expresso that remains for a long finish. The construction has been top notch and no sample required a touch up. My overall impression of the Bronzeback is that it is the same core experience as the regular sister blend, but it flops the prominent note of sweetness with spice. The sweetness is still there from the broadleaf, but it is working behind the scenes to allow the spice to bring the Nicaraguan tobacco alive.
Core Flavors: Red pepper, black pepper, earth, toasted bread, charred meat, leather, sweetness, and oak.
Strength: medium +
Body: Medium + to full
Complexity: Medium
Smokin Experience
The Umbagog Bronzeback is another example of Saka taking a blend that is successful and adding a twist that allows the consumer to explore a new experience while still being grounded to what they have come to enjoy. This was yet another example of an amazing product coming out of Joya de Nicaragua, S.A. where the construction was spot on and all the consumer needs to worry about is remembering when to take the next puff.
Purchase recommendation: I’d keep a bundle of 10 around since its affordable and easy to pick up and enjoy
Smokin Facts
- The Bronzeback robusto is currently the only size of this blend in the Umbagog lineup.
- The name and branding touches on Saka’s passion for fishing.
- The proper pronunciation for Umbagog is “um-bay-gog” however Saka elects to pronounce it as “Um-ba-gog” since the work increasingly makes Saka happy.
Smokin Wrap
Cigars Smoked for the Review: Three
Average smoking time: 1 hour and 52 minutes.
