BACKGROUND: Gaius Petronius Arbiter was a Roman writer and attendant to Roman Emperor Nero who devoted himself to a life of pleasure. He dedicated himself to enjoying luxury and the pleasures of the senses. Showing capacity for outrageous indulgence, he was looked upon by Nero to be the absolute authority on questions of taste, elegance and aesthetic standard, which in Latin is called, arbiter elegantiae.

This week’s featured cigar commemorates Arbiter’s quest for the sublime; the alchemy of cultivating and blending the finest aged tobaccos to achieve a crescendo of elegance. The brand is Regius, which is Latin for King, and the good folks at Regius of London want to bring you a regal smoking experience.

The cigars are made by Nestor Placensia in his factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The blend includes Nicaraguan filler and binder, and a drop-dead-gorgeous Nicaraguan Habano Rosado wrapper. The company employs sleek packaging to accent the overall good looks of these sticks, but the proof of a great cigar is what is under the hood and we will be finding out about all that today.

The Regius, Nicaraguan puro comes in 4 sizes: a classic Churchill at 7 x 47 ring gauge called the Grandido, a sleek Corona Especial weighing in at 6-inches and 38 ring named the Lord Madsen, a traditional Corona at 5 1/8 by 42 and the cigar I’m featuring today, the 4 7/8 inch by 50 ring gauge, Robusto.

TASTING NOTES: The Regius Robusto is impeccable from the outside in. The wrapper leaf has great sheen and delicate vein structure. The band is beautiful and gives the whole presentation an upper step in class. In other words, it has great curb appeal.

The Regius jumps out of the gate with full body and flavor, and yet the strength is not overpowering. I was initially hesitant when approaching the retrohale, thinking that the smoke would rip through my nasal cavity like a brushfire, but was pleasantly surprised to note that the retrohale was smoky, woody and rich, without being over the top.

The flavors exhibit oak wood, espresso and a savory finish. As the cigar progressed I noted some baker's cocoa come into the flavor profile.

FINAL THOUGHTS: The second half is even more full in body and flavor than the first half. And yet, that didn't keep me from smoking this cigar to the nub.

All in all, this was an impressive cigar in looks, flavor and performance. Though it is full in body and flavor, it still shows some nuance that provides some level of complexity. Certainly not one-dimensional.

I would recommend this cigar with a full-flavored coffee, an aged bourbon, or stout or porter ales.

This cigar will likely be too much for a new cigar smoker, but that shouldn't stop the rest of you from throwing caution to the wind and giving the Regius a try.

This is the best full-bodied cigar that I've reviewed this year and will likely be a candidate for my Best New Cigar of the Year award. If you like full-bodied smokes, the Regius is a must-try cigar.

~Doc