Team Cigar Review: Lure Oscuro

CTCP DEPT.

INCIDENT: CIGAR REVIEW

CASE NUMBER: CCR2025-06-27

DATES OF INCIDENT: 2025-06-27, 2025-08-02

LOCATION OF INCIDENT: Cedar Room, Aganorsa Studios in Central IL

REPORTED BY: Marty C, Michael George

-I. INCIDENT TYPE: Product Assessment - Cigar

–II. PRODUCT INFORMATION:

• PRODUCT NAME: Oscuro

• BRAND: Lure

• VITOLA: The Big Joe 6x52 Toro

• MANUFACTURING ORIGIN: Tabacalera Pages de Nicaragua 

• COMPONENTS:

  • WRAPPER: Nicaraguan Oscuro Maduro 

  • BINDER: Nicaraguan Estelli

  • FILLER: Nicaraguan including Ometepe Ligero

• PRICE: $13.00 USD

—III. NARRATIVE OF ASSESSMENT:

On the aforementioned dates, the reviewers conducted an assessment of a cigar identified as the "Oscuro" by Lure. The assessment spanned approximately 90 and 125  minutes.

A. SENSORY EVALUATION (TASTE):

Marty

• FIRST THIRD: Draw was way too tight to start, but once improved with a PerfecDraw tool, the cigar starts with a dominant dark roast coffee flavor. Wood and roasted nut notes are in the background. Retrohale is smooth and pleasant.

• SECOND THIRD: Dark coffee remains prominent. The wrapper begins to separate, probably due to handling while trying to unplug the draw, but was doctored with PerfecRepair cigar glue. A mild pepper joins the mix with a black licorice note.

• FINAL THIRD: Final third continues the dark roast coffee dominant. Burn has been perfectly straight despite all the doctoring. Wrapper splits again and was doctored up with a little more cigar glue. Pepper is ramping up but is pleasant and not overpowering. The cigar was put down with a little less than an inch remaining.

• COMPLEXITY: Flavors are straightforward and enjoyable.

• STRENGTH: Medium-full.

• RESIDUAL FLAVOR: Pleasant dark coffee flavor.

• ASSESSMENT (Taste Category): Good

Mike

• FIRST THIRD: Observed strong dark coffee notes almost espresso-like along with leathery notes.  Retrohale reveals notes of black pepper.

• SECOND THIRD:  Some earthy notes appeared, the black pepper continues and there are still some hints of coffee.

• FINAL THIRD: There are some sweet notes maybe a pitted fruit, the black pepper is in the background as well as the earthy notes. 

• COMPLEXITY: This is a good smoke with some real complexity with the flavor notes. 

• STRENGTH: Medium to full.

• RESIDUAL FLAVOR: Pepper and coffee

• ASSESSMENT (Taste Category): Above Average 

B. PHYSICAL EVALUATION (CONSTRUCTION):

Marty

• QUALITY: Wrapper is smooth with minor bumps but defect free. Seams look nice and tight.

• TACTILE SENSORY: Firm

• PREPARATION: Clean straight cut. Cap maintained integrity.

• ASSESSMENT (Construction Category): Good

Mike

• QUALITY: High quality, some veins but nothing bad.

• TACTILE SENSORY: Average firmness

• PREPARATION: Straight cut performed cleanly.

• ASSESSMENT (Construction Category): Good

C. FUNCTIONAL EVALUATION (DRAW):

Marty

• RESISTANCE: Very tight draw initially. A PerfecDraw tool was used to loosen it, removing a fairly thick 3-inch long stem which improved the draw quite a bit.

• SMOKE PRODUCTION: Moderate amount of smoke.

• CONSISTENCY: Draw continued to improve as it was smoked, especially after the wrapper split. It seems like this cigar was bunched too tightly.

• ASSESSMENT (Draw Category): Below Average

Mike

• RESISTANCE: Draw is on the light side of good, but easy.

• SMOKE PRODUCTION: Smoke volume observed as moderate.

• CONSISTENCY: Draw improved slightly as the assessment progressed.

• ASSESSMENT (Draw Category): Average

D. VISUAL EVALUATION (APPEARANCE):

Marty

• AESTHETICS: Wrapper is a dark brown maduro. Band coloring fits well, a very appealing cigar.

• MARKINGS/BAND: The band displays a crankbait fishing lure with the Lure Cigars Logo underneath. Band is matte paper with a red background. The Oscuro cigar name is on the side.

• OVERALL PRESENTATION: Excellent.

• ASSESSMENT (Appearance Category): Great

Mike

• AESTHETICS: Wrapper is light brown resembling light brown sugar.

• MARKINGS/BAND: Single band with great graphics of a fishing lure. With Orange all around 

• OVERALL PRESENTATION: A great band, surrounding a well made cigar

• ASSESSMENT (Appearance Category):  Good

E. COMBUSTION EVALUATION (BURN):

Marty

• CONSISTENCY: Burn is razor sharp.

• RESIDUE (ASH): Ash is grayish white and stacks dimes as it burns.

• INTERRUPTIONS: None.

• DURATION: 90 minutes.

• ASSESSMENT (Burn Category): Great

Mike

• CONSISTENCY: Burn observed as straight for most of the smoke.

• RESIDUE (ASH): Ash noted as silvery-white.  The Ash was firm and fell off after about an inch and a half. .

• INTERRUPTIONS: No touch ups to maintain the burn.

• DURATION: Approximately 125 minutes.

• ASSESSMENT (Burn Category):  Good

—-IV. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS:

Marty

The Lure Oscuro is a Nicaraguan cigar with a dark roast coffee-dominated flavor profile, accented by wood, roasted nuts, and mild pepper. Despite a tight draw requiring a PerfecDraw tool to remove a stem and wrapper splitting fixed with cigar glue, the medium-full strength cigar offered an enjoyable 90-minute smoke. The burn was razor-sharp with a solid ash. The fishing-themed band scored a perfect appearance rating. While construction issues slightly marred the experience, the cigar’s straightforward, flavorful profile made it a worthwhile smoke.

Mike

The "Lure Oscuro Big Joe”, a regular production released in 2025. Blended and rolled Tabacalera Pages de Nicaragua.  This is a factory owned by Raymond Pages Raffo who prior worked at AJ Fernandez.  Lure Cigars focus on tobacco from Ometepe, Esteli and Jalapa

—--V. RECOMMENDATIONS/CONCLUSIONS:

Marty

• PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: Coffee, rootbeer or a bourbon.

• RE-ASSESSMENT PROBABILITY: Yes, would smoke again despite the troubles with this one.

• TOTAL SCORE: 85/100

• FINAL OBSERVATIONS: The Lure Oscuro “The Big Joe” was enjoyed despite its challenges—the coffee-driven flavors with hints of pepper were engaging for the full 90 minutes. The tight draw and wrapper splits were a hassle, but the PerfecDraw and cigar glue saved the day, proving this cigar’s solid bones. The razor-sharp burn and well-done fishing-themed band made it a standout, and as a fishing enthusiast, there is interest in trying more from Lure.

Mike

• PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: Bourbon or Dr Pepper Zero.

• RE-ASSESSMENT PROBABILITY:  For a new brand started in 2023 these are good cigars and worth the price.   Definitely recommend trying one of these

• TOTAL SCORE: 89/100

• FINAL OBSERVATIONS: The “Lure Oscuro Big Joe” is priced to make these affordable and worth the experience.   Lure Cigars is doing good work and making cigars worth smoking.  They are staying in line with what a new cigar company should be doing and I look forward to seeing what comes next. 

Combined Score : 87/100

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