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| Debonaire Sagita |
Debonaire Cigars is a company that was co-founded by Philip Zanghi and Daniel Sinclair. If Zanghi’s name is familiar, he was also a co-founder in Indian Tabac – the company that eventually became Rocky Patel Premium Cigars. After a hiatus from the hand-rolled premium cigar industry, Zanghi returned to in 2012 and launched the the first Debonaire line. In 2013, two line extensions were added to the Debonaire line. One of those line extensions is known as the Sagita which is petite lancero. There are many great petite lancero cigars on the market. I first smoked the Sangita shortly after the IPCPR. I found this to be as good a petite lancero as I have had. This cigar should satisfy many connoisseurs.
The name Sngita comes from the latin term “arrow”. The Debonaire Sagita is considered “the entry level” from a price point. The idea is that they will enjoy the flavor of this size, and they will want to try some of the other sizes – those the arrow directs them to do.
Without further ado, let’s break down the Debonaire Sagita and see what this cigar brings to the table:
Blend Profile
For the Debonaire line, Zanghi and his team are intricately involved in the whole cigar making process from seed to store – taking a very hands-on approach to the production process. The line is considered an “ultra premium cigar”. It consists of tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. For the line, Zanghi and his team have tapped into the resources of Emilio El Reyes – one of the leading growers based in the Dominican Republic. The cigars are also made in the Dominican Republic.
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan
Vitolas Available
The Debonaire line is currently available in five sizes. The Sagita and Toro were introduced in 2014. Over the next year, plans are to add a 4 1/2 x 40 petit salomon called “First Degree” and a 9 x 54 “A” size. The Debonaire line is bunched using accordion fold as opposed to entubado (tube) style.
Sagita: 5 1/2 x 38Toro: 6 x 50
Robusto: 5 1/4 x 50
Bellicoso: 6 x 54
Solomones: 7 3/4 x 58 (limited 500 boxes)
Appearance
The Debonaire Sagita’s Nicaraguan Habano wrapper has what I term a light to medium brown-colored wrapper. The surface of the wrapper has a slight amount of oil on it. While there are some visible veins and visible wrapper seams, the wrapper’s surface is more on the smooth than toothy side. The cap to the Sagita has a small pig-tail to it.
The Debonaire Sagita features the brand’s gold, brown, black, and white colored band. There is a gold stagecoach that sits on a brown background. Above the stagecoach is a black oval with the text “HAND ROLLED” in white font. Below the stagecoach is the text “DEBONAIRE” in large white font. In small black font below the Debonaire name is the text “DOMINICAN REPUBLIC” in small black font. Toward the lower part of the banding is the text “ULTRA PREMIUM” in black font on a gold background. The remainder of the band has black and gold adornments.
Preparation for the Cigar Experience
As opposed to pulling the pig-tail off the Debonaire Sagita, I opted to use a straight cut to remove the cap. Once the cap was clipped, it was time for the pre-light draw ritual. The dry draw notes provided a mix of wood, floral, and some mixed fruit sweetness. Overall I considered the pre-light draw of the Sagita to be very good. At this point, I was now ready to light up this cigar and see what the overall cigar experience would bring to the table.
Flavor Profile
One thing I have discovered as I smoke each of the Debonaire vitolas is that each size delivers its own story in terms of the flavor profile. The Debonaire Sagita is no exception.
The Sagita stars out with a mix of wood, black pepper, and natural tobacco. At some point in the middle of the first third, the flavors really up. A nice smoky meat flavor complements the natural tobacco and black pepper notes. Meanwhile in the background I picked up a distant floral note.
By the start of the second third, the smoky meat, natural tobacco, and pepper notes still hold. In addition, I now picked up a nice cream note in the background. The floral note remained from time to time, but it was now more of a tertiary flavor. The natural tobacco notes also produced a nice subtle sweetness.
I found the Sagita held its flavors in the second half. The smoky meat, natural tobacco, and pepper notes continued to be the driving flavors – varying in intensity at various points. I never found the Sagita to get overly spicy toward the end. The resulting nub is a true finger burner – firm to the touch and cool in temperature.
Burn and Draw
This is a well-constructed cigar and its clear the attention to detail has paid off. This is reflected on the burn and draw attributes. The burn line of the Debonaire Sagita remained sharp from start to finish. The resulting ash was mostly white in color – and remained tight throughout the smoke. The burn temperature and burn rate were ideal.
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| Burn of the Debonaire Sagita |
The draw also performed flawlessly. It was not too loose and not too tight. It was very easy to derive flavors to it.
Strength and Body
From a strength perspective, the Debonaire Sagita is not going to be an overpowering cigar, but it is going to deliver what I term “the right amount of strength”. I assessed the Sagita as having just enough kick to be considered medium to full strength. As for the flavors, the Sagita starts out medium to full-bodied. By the second third, the flavors are weighing heavier on the pallet and I assessed the cigar as being full-bodied. Overall in terms of strength versus body, the body of the Sagita has a slight edge – particularly in the second half.
Final Thoughts
There are two things that caught my attention when it came to Debonaire Cigars. The first was the quality of the tobacco and the second was the attention to detail given to the production process. The end result is a very well constructed product that is extremely flavorful. We all know with any cigar that it comes down to flavor – and the Debonaire Sagita delivers. Not only is the flavor profile as balanced as any, but this is going to be a unique one. This is a cigar that I would recommend for the seasoned cigar enthusiast. I certainly would not discourage the novice from smoking this either – as this is a textbook example for a balanced, flavorful, cigar. As for myself, this is a box worthy cigar and one that I have made a regular smoke.
Summary
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full (1st Third), Full (Remainder)
Finish: Excellent
Assessment: 4.0 – Box Worthy
Score: 92
References
Price: ~$9.00
Source: Purchased (*)
Stogie Geeks Podcast: Episode 84
Stogie Feed: Debonaire Sagita
(*) Disclaimer: Debonaire Cigars is a sponsor of Cigar Coop / Stogie Geeks. The cigars for this review were still purchased. For a list of retailers to purchase Debonaire, click here.
