Nub Habano 460 Staff review
I am reviewing Nub Habano in the ultra-popular 460 format, a short fat cigar, 4 inches in length with a 60 ring gauge. Nub cigars are handmade at the Oliva factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, where several award-winning blends are produced, including Oliva Serie V Melanio and Oliva Master Blends. The makers of Oliva developed Nub in 2008. The short, stocky, and eye-catching shapes of Nub proved far more than a simple gimmick. The Nub brand enjoys immense popularity today and has contributed much to the demand for bigger ring gauge cigars.
Nub is handmade in five wrapper varietals: Cameroon, Connecticut, Habano, Maduro, and Corojo. Nub Habano is the strongest blend in the collection. Aged Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos are encased by an oily, reddish-hued Ecuador Habano wrapper. The short stout shape is evenly packed and firm. Pre-light aromas from the wrapper reflect a bouquet of cedar, leather, barnyard, and light fruit. After a shallow cut, the cold draw adds hints of black pepper, sweet baking spices, and toast.
Once the pudgy format is fired up, notes of earth and cedar come into play. Nutty nuances of cinnamon and spice develop as the tobaccos warm up. Notes of leather and dried fruit mingle with an underlying sweetness in the retrohale as the cigar creeps along. After the first inch, spicier notes take over and deliver another layer of flavor to an outstanding profile.
The second half of the cigar takes a 180-degree turn, in terms of flavor. Bold, acidic notes of dark roast espresso and dark chocolate mix on the palate and in the nose. A creamier taste emerges with hints of black pepper and nuts. A long zesty finish sets in with perfect balance. Nub Habano delivers an ideal combination of earth, spice, and leather notes at the end. The finish is full-bodied, making the blend ideal for after dinner.
Nub cigars can burn for an unexpected amount of time, despite their short shape. Their thickness causes them to burn slowly. A 4 x 60 Nub can easily last an hour or more. The Nub brand is well-known its high-quality construction. Nub Habano in a 460 is a great example. The draw is perfect throughout the whole cigar and produces a ridiculously strong ash. If you get the chance, try your hand at the “Nub Stand.” Smoke the cigar down to the band, and try to stand the cigar upright on its ash.
If you’re a fan of thicker cigars and haven’t smoked Nub yet, you’re missing out. I highly recommend giving them a shot. Or, if you can count Oliva as one of your favorites, consider Nub. The thick ring gauge may not be for everyone, but don’t knock it until you try it. Nub is a great place to start. Sample the full spectrum of wrappers in the Nub 8-Cigar Sampler or save big by scooping up the 20-cigar Nub ‘Stub Club’ Monster Deal. We count Nub Habano on our list of the best Nub cigars you can smoke. Sample them all and decide which one is your favorite.
