San Cristobal Revelation Legend Staff Review

Now that spring is here, I tried to pick out a few favorites for the first golf outing of the season. An easy, instant selection is San Cristobal Revelation, a well-made blend that can stand toe to toe with any premium cigar on the market. The San Cristobal brand debuted as a Nicaraguan line distributed by Ashton back in 2007. After years of success, growth, and consumer praise, San Cristobal Revelation was introduced in 2013. Whenever I share a few of these with friends, there seems to be no shortage of gratitude and plenty of echoes of, “man, this thing is good.” The national reception for Revelation is also very high, and the same goes for the full San Cristobal portfolio – the brand is stocked in nearly all cigar shops across the country.

Right off the bat, you get a sense from the construction, wrapper, and aroma that this cigar is no doubt made with high-quality tobacco. That’s one-hundred percent due to the fact that it is made by the Garcia family in Esteli, Nicaragua, where they maintain an extensive farming operation and a pristine factory. Theirs is a premier facility and the way they care for tobacco is tough to replicate. From seed to finished product, everything is carefully grown, cultivated, harvested, and aged to unbeatable standards of perfection. Another part of this cigar that catches the eye is the unique band art. The artwork has an old-world vibe with vibrant colors, displaying the classic San Cristobal parrot, flowers, tobacco fields, and merchant ships.

At first glance, the Ecuador Sumatra wrapper has a medium-brown color with a thin vein structure and is smooth to the touch. Pre-light notes consist of cedar, barnyard, earth, and cardamom. The cold draws deliver flavors of figs, caramel, cacao, and pink peppercorn with some tingling on the lips. As I light my 6.25 x 52 Legend, an abundance of smoke fills the room with a full range of aromas. While I smoke through the first third, I would say the hearty Nicaraguan blend is well-balanced and medium-bodied in strength. Each note intertwines perfectly to create a complex blend of tastes, falling into a sweet and spicy mix with a clean, citrusy zest.

I’ve now hit the halfway point where a tad more of the signature Pepin spice becomes present with a bit of nuts and hay. A flawless burn and solid ash are making this cigar even more enjoyable, considering nothing is worse than having to relight constantly or having ash fall off all over your lap. As I continue to smoke into the final third, the original tasting notes have combined into a rich, creamy combination that makes the mouth water. Each aspect of this cigar deserves an incredible score for taste and aroma as well as construction, appearance, and burn rate. The cigar burns cool throughout until I am down to the nub. I believe this cigar is a must-try for the guys out there who’ve never had the pleasure of trying one.

If you find yourself craving an affordable, impeccably balanced Nicaraguan smoke, then San Cristobal Revelation is for you. It’s definitely an approachable blend for any level of cigar smoker and may lead you to try some of the other cigars in the San Cristobal portfolio, each of which is excellent in its own right. Enjoy!