Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the FSG by Drew Estate in the Robusto size. This is a cigar we previously assessed in the Belicoso size back in June 2018.

Wrapper: Brazilian Mata Fina
Binder: Honduran Habano-Seed
Filler: Nicaraguan, Florida Corojo (USA)
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Robusto: 5 x 54

Back in 2012, Corona Cigar Company owner and founder Jeff Borysiewicz purchased a farm in Clermont, Florida. Borysiewicz purchased the farm in order to bring back growing tobacco to the State of Florida. At one time Florida was known as a tobacco-producing state, but for the past three decades, this business had been pretty much dormant. Over the past six years, the farm has proven to be functional, yielding several harvests of mostly corojo-seed tobaccos. Borysiewicz has also worked with several leading manufacturers – most notably Drew Estate, Davidoff, and J.C. Newman, to develop cigar blends incorporating the Florida Sun Grown tobacco. The one that has gotten the most attention is Drew Estate’s FSG (an acronym for Florida Sun Grown). It’s a line that originally started out as a single store exclusive and one that went national a little over a year ago. A few months ago we took a look at the Belicoso size of the FSG. Today, we look at the Robusto size.

As for the name FSG, Florida Sun Grown isn’t simply a buzz-word name, but it is an actual designation. Borysiewicz worked with the Florida Department of Agriculture to use the name, which he was able to also trademark. He was able to get a certificate of origin which allows him to certify the tobacco is from Florida.

The blend for the FSG was developed by Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera. The Florida-grown corojo tobacco was combined with Nicaraguan tobaccos. The blend was then finished with a Habano-seed wrapper from Honduras and a dark Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper. The Robusto size is a 5 x 54 vitola and is available in 20-count boxes.

Photo Credit: Developing Palates (IPCPR 2017)

The FSG Robusto started out with notes of milk chocolate, classic wood, and red pepper. The red pepper was also prominent on the retro-hale. The chocolate and wood notes became primary. The red pepper settled in the background. As the cigar experience commenced, a cherry seltzer-like note emerged in the background. This cherry seltzer note increased in intensity. By the midway point notes of mineral and earth emerged in the forefront and were joined by the cherry seltzer flavor. The last third saw the mineral and earth remain grounded in the forefront with notes of chocolate, red pepper, wood, and cherry seltzer present at the end.

The flavors started out medium-bodied, but there was an increase along the way and by the second half, the FSG Robusto was in medium to full-bodied territory. This was countered by medium-strength which remained relatively constant throughout the smoking experience.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

I’ve smoked all four sizes of the FSG line, and I would say the Robusto is the best representation of this blend. Not only did I find the Robusto delivered a nice balance and synergy of the flavors, but the flavors themselves really seemed to shine.

The FSG Robusto is a cigar I would recommend to either a novice or experienced cigar smoker. As I’ve mentioned when I assessed the FSG Belicoso, the FSG blend is one that has aged fantastically – and I have found the Robusto ages just as well. It’s a cigar where I recommend buying multiples – and smoking some now and putting some away for later.

Summary

Key Flavors: Chocolate, Cherry Seltzer, Wood, Red Pepper, Mineral, Earth
Burn: Very Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium Plus
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (2nd Half)
Finish: Very Good