Diesel has been a popular brand for many years now, but for a while it became known an a catalog brand or auction-site brand. Although many of the blends were always flavorful, the cigars fell into a bit of a rut, possibly from overexposure. Within the last couple of years it seems that General Cigar, the parent company of Diesel Cigars, have put resources behind Diesel in order to elevate it above a catalog status. The Whiskey Row was released in 2018 and has done well. This year a new iteration of that cigar hit the market. Here is our evaluation.
In addition to the Robusto reviewed here, the Diesel Whiskey Row Sherry Cask is also available in a 6 x 50 Toro (MSRP $8.99) and a 6 x 58 Gigante (MSRP $9.49).
Diesel Whiskey Row Sherry Cask Robusto
MSRP: $8.49
Size: 5 x 52
Origin: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez (Nicaragua)
Wrapper: Broadleaf (Connecticut, U.S.A.)
Binder: Brazilian Arapiraca (Cask-Aged)
Filler: Nicaragua
Prologue
The cigar has a very nice broadleaf wrapper with a pronounced tooth and even deep brown color. It feels a bit heavy for its size, but when cut does not have a tight draw. The wrapper has a smell of cedar and a kind of barnyard aroma. The foot smells of potting soil and has a faint musty quality. The cold draw is peppery, with more of that earthy potting soil kind of note.
Act I
I made sure it wasn’t my mind playing tricks on me, but I swear there are flavor notes in this cigar that remind me of a dry red wine. It’s an almost tannic and earthy feeling on the palate that requires a beverage during the smoking process. That dryness is balanced by a nice aged-tobacco kind of sweetness and some peppery spice in the front of the palate. The retrohale has some of that pepper with an interesting sour note.
Act II
The middle of this cigar really starts to open up into some interesting combinations. I get dark sweetness that reminds me of cocoa powder and dried fruit. That is all while that dry, wine-like sensation is still present. The texture of the smoke really starts to thicken and almost has grip, like an old Chianti. The retrohale also deepens in boldness, with more of the black peppercorn note alongside some sweetness.
Act III
The end of the cigar is mostly the same as the middle of the cigar, but that is not a bad thing. That grippy wine note really comes to the foreground, and also mixes with something like sweet and sour cherries. The cocoa sweetness from earlier is also still there but really only on the finish of each puff. The retrohale is now musty and earthy with just a hint of sweetness and black pepper.
Epilogue
This is a prime example of why we only publish a review after smoking at least two of the cigar. On the first one, I was convinced that my brain was creating the sherry notes out of thin air, but the second and third that I smoked confirmed that I am not crazy. I also spoke with other reviewers and some echoed the same sentiment. It is a cigar that I think anyone could enjoy, even cigar lovers who lean towards heavy and strong cigars. While this one is not strong, it does have boldness and depth that give it tons of body without being overbearing or harsh. This is a cigar that will become a standing change-of-pace smoke in my humidor.
Diesel Whiskey Row Sherry Cask Robusto – How Bout That Cigar?
Rating: How Bout A 5er?
Overall Score: 89
PAD: +0.0 (What is PAD?)
Flavor Summary: Cocoa, Earth, Dried Fruit, Dry Red Wine
Strength Assessment: Medium
Source: Cigars for this review were provided by General Cigar Co.