Built for the Everyday Smoker

Macanudo Ecuadorian Shade

Technically, this is a cigar review. In practice, I am reviewing my experience living with this cigar for more than an hour.

Firstly, some cigars change their profile every fifteen minutes, and sometimes a cigar doesn't need to surprise me. The Macanudo Ecuadorian Shade falls into the second category, and after an hour and twenty minutes, I think that's one of its strengths.

The silky appearance of the wrapper with just enough visible veins clearly reminded me that it was handmade. I used a cat-eye cut, and the draw remained effortless without feeling loose. Even after smoking it well past the band, the cap never began to unravel.

The first puff had a nutty flavor that stayed present for almost the entire smoke. I can’t be more specific than "nutty". It was simply an enjoyable roasted-nut character that remained consistent.

This cigar isn’t complex, but it isn’t missing anything. It’s balanced. The smoke was rich without being heavy. Smooth without becoming dull. Flavorful without demanding my attention. Even the retrohale was balanced. It was creamy with just enough spice at the finish to remind you it was there.

I never had to worry about the construction of this cigar. The draw remained effortless throughout the smoke while still offering enough resistance to feel satisfying. The ash held on surprisingly well, and the burn stayed remarkably even for most of the cigar. About halfway through, one small section of the wrapper developed an underburn. A quick touch-up with the lighter corrected it, and the cigar returned to an even burn for the remainder of the smoke. That was the only maintenance required. Over the course of an hour and twenty minutes, I never had to relight it.

While the flavor remained consistent, the final third added a little more depth. The body moved from mellow toward mellow-medium, while the nicotine strength stayed comfortably mild. The smoke became creamier and a little fuller, but the cigar never became hot or bitter. I eventually smoked it down to about two fingers remaining, which is about as far as I ever take a cigar. At no point did it feel like I was forcing myself to finish it.

One thing I rarely hear discussed in cigar reviews is how a cigar leaves you feeling after it's over. This one left a surprisingly clean finish. The pleasant flavor lingered just long enough to enjoy before gradually fading away. My palate didn't feel coated with stale smoke, my fingers weren't heavily saturated with cigar odor, and I never experienced the lingering heaviness that some stronger cigars leave behind. I actually found myself thinking I could comfortably smoke another one later in the afternoon.

Would I Reach for this Cigar Again? Yes, and this blend in a 6 x 60 is the one I want to try next. In fact, I can already picture exactly where I'd smoke it. I'd light one on the front nine of a golf course (around hole #5), enjoy it through the round, then light another while sitting around the clubhouse afterward with friends. Based on how well this cigar tolerated being set down, picked up, and occasionally forgotten for a few minutes, I think it has all the characteristics of an excellent golf-course cigar.

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