Staff Review: Sobremesa Brulee Double Corona
Introduction:
Today, I’ll be reviewing the Sobremesa Brulee Double Corona from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. This is a size extension to the Brulee line, which was originally released in 2019.
First time reading our reviews? Feel free to skim the quick hits or dive deep into any section below and find the full details on this cigar. Let’s go.
The Quick Hits:
- Sequel to the 2015 original Sobremesa
- Blended to be an “old-school” Connecticut: mellow, smooth, and naturally sweet
- Single row of 13 cigars makes box storage slightly unwieldy
- Tasting notes: natural sweetness, bread, cream, slight hints of white pepper
- Recommended For: fans of Ashton, Davidoff Connecticuts, mellower profiles
- In the mid-high end of pricing for top-shelf Connecticuts
The Story:
Let’s start with the brand owner: Steve Saka. In the early 2010s, Steve was operating as the President and then CEO of Drew Estate. In 2013, the two parted ways. Then, after 48 months of a non-compete, Steve returned to the cigar industry in 2015 with Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust’s original release: Sobremesa.
The original Sobremesa is a medium-bodied cigar produced at the Joya de Nicaragua factory in Esteli. This cigar was originally offered in five sizes, but as of the time of this review its been expanded to six.
The name “Sobremesa” has no great translation in English. Generally, it means “over the table” – referring to the time spent after a meal talking, making memories, drinking coffee, and smoking cigars. It’s a simple pleasure, but a great one, and a fantastic tie-in to the general cigar lifestyle.
Anyway, the cigar has been a large success for DTT, and in 2019 Steve announced a sequel: the Sobremesa Brulee.
Brulee bucks the trend of the contemporary Connecticut cigar. While other brands promote a “not your father’s Connecticut” approach (delivering mellow-wrapped blends with bolder profiles), Steve chose to craft a blend reminiscent of the classic Connecticuts he knew and loved. He argues that many of the legacy Connecticut blends have become bitter or unpleasant over time. Brulee is the response to those cigars: a new take on an old formula from an industry veteran.
The Build:
One of Saka’s signatures with Dunbarton is providing an abundance of information about the tobaccos inside his cigars. Brulee is crafted at the Joya de Nicaragua factory utilizing an Ecuador Connecticut Shade wrapper, a San Andres Negro binder, and Nicaraguan filler. If you’re curious what the differences are between this and the original Sobremesa – Brulee swaps out the wrapper, removed the PA Ligero from the filler, and increases the Condega Seco.
The Look:
I’m a big fan of the presentation that comes with Saka’s products. Let’s start with the band: Sobremesa Brulee features the crown from the original Sobremesa, and a small foot band with the “Sobremesa” name in script. I’m tempted to say this is slightly lighter in color than the original, but honestly, that might just be the difference in the wrapper playing tricks on my eyes. Either way, it’s an elegant looking band, and matches what I’d expect at this price point.
The box is a sturdy wood with two seals: the oversized Sobremesa sticker around the side, and the more “generic” Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust guarantee seal on the front. The size and quantity are embossed on the front left. I like the DTT guarantee seal a lot – it’s unique and reminiscent of a banknote. Inside the box, you’ll find a single row of 13 cigars.
I’m sure there’s a play towards symmetry here – with a row of 13, there’s an exact middle which is pleasing to the eye. Also, it takes up a little more space on the shelf, which I’m sure Steve likes. The only downside to this is, depending on how you store your cigars, this is a very long box. If you’re using a cooler, cabinet, or just throwing the box away – no worries.
The Experience:
Those in the know about Sobremesa have been waiting for me to mention “the controversy.” Let’s get into it now. Upon release, many were convinced that Brulee had a sweet cap on it. There’s still a debate around this today.
Here’s what I’ll say. Lighting up the cigar, there is an undeniable sweetness to it that I’m sure people are identifying with the “sweet cap.” However, that sweetness fades as you enjoy the cigar. When you smoke something with a true sweet cap, like a Tabak Especial, you’ll find that sweetness on your lips for a long time. It’s cloying (to me) and can be very overwhelming. The sweetness on Brulee is noticeable, but light – it doesn’t linger, and it doesn’t seem artificial.
Getting into the cigar a little further, the profile is really the epitome of a classic Connecticut brand. There’s a bready flavor in the core, with a nice natural sweetness to back it up. The smoke is slightly creamy, though not as much as you might expect. There’s actually a lot of smoke production here, too. Many cigars on the mellow side of the spectrum don’t produce a ton of smoke, creating an airy, wispy experience. Brulee is very satisfying in that regard – you get a lot on each puff, and the flavor is immediately apparent.
I like the draw on the cigar, and don’t really have any knocks around the construction. The only complaint I’ll lobby is a shallow one: the ash on the cigar is kind of ugly. Occasionally, you’ll get a cigar with a nice white, tight ash. Brulee is greyer and chunkier, and the burn line tends to waver. But again, this complain is purely aesthetic – I haven’t smoked one of these that gave me any actual performance issues.
The Value:
In some ways, this Double Corona is an expensive cigar. Buying them in a box, you’ll take these home for around $13 apiece before taxes. When you compare that to the “value” Connecticut space – cigars like Macanudo Café, Romeo Reserva Real, or even something like Baccarat, it’s quite high.
But ultimately, I don’t think that’s a great comparison. The peers here, in my mind, are higher-end. I’m thinking cigars like Ashton Churchill (~$10 per), Davidoff Signature Toro ($23), and Monte White Churchill ($12.50). In that regard, Brulee is right around the middle of the pack and I think smokes just as nicely as the more expensive options.
Final Thoughts:
For me personally, the Sobremesa Brulee Double Corona works on almost every level. I’m a big fan of Connecticut blends, and I agree with Steve in this case when it comes to mellow cigars – I don’t like the “new age” Connecticut. When I light up a cigar like this, I’m normally doing it first thing in the morning and am looking for something very smooth and enjoyable to ease into the day. The Double Corona size is a real treat in this regard too – long enough for me to enjoy a cup of coffee, get through my inbox, and plan my day out in full.
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