Everyone has a favorite day of the week. For me, it’s Sunday – the day that I get to gush about one of my favorite cigars. Luckily, I have no shortage of favorites as it’s a great time to be a cigar enthusiast!
I was first introduced to Atabey through Oliver Nivaud, the face of United Cigars in the U.S. Before he graciously sent a few my way a couple years ago, I’d only heard of Atabey through word of mouth on the interwebs. Reviews were positive, but usually mixed in with a few words of doubt about the MSRP.
Since then, I’ve fallen in love with the United brand as a whole and Atabey in particular. It’s one of those cigars that can truly command a $30 price tag, and not just wear it on the sticker. In fact, I love this cigar so much that I couldn’t even include it in the MSRP showdown post a few months ago.
Today, the first puff or two of my Ritos size was heavy on the umami. Thankfully, that dissipated quickly and was followed by signature notes of sweet cream, soft cedar, along with gentle touches of molasses and croissants. Sweet cream (like the ice cream) is definitely flavor forward in the first third, and is such a refined tasting note for a cigar. The finish is clean and sophisticated, only leaving impressions of toasted Pop-Tart edges on my palate.
Checking back in past the midway point, we’ve got a few new additions of toast, brown sugar, and hints of cinnamon. Some puffs are like waking up on Saturday morning and making Cinnamon Toast while binging on Saved By the Bell all those years ago.
Read our Interview with Oliver of United Cigars
This is the sort of cigar that you take home to meet your parents after the first date. Atabey sucks all the air out of the room when you’re with it, making heads turn each time you walk into the lounge. This brand is consistently low maintenance, elegant, charming, and provides an on-demand once in a lifetime experience. Basically… if I were to enter a monogamous commitment with a cigar, Atabey would be high on the list of candidates!
Suggestions:
I’d suggest Atabey to anyone that enjoys milder cigars with a sophisticated flavor profile. This isn’t a pull-you-out-of-your-seat type of cigar, but rather one to enjoy in quiet moments of contemplation and reflection.
If you’re beginning down the Atabey trail, I’d recommend keeping your options open for different sizes. Each size offers different nuances that may be your favorite, and I’d be hesitant to lock in an opinion one way or another without trying a few vitolas first.
I’m linking our Cuban Assassins sampler below that features the Atabey Delirios with a few other favorites. But if you’d like to try Atabey with more heavy hitters from United, check out this ABB sampler here. Or, go right ahead and view the Atabey category here.
Tell Us! What are YOUR thoughts of Atabey?
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