The Daughters of the Wind Robusto was originally released in 2018. It was the first sub $10.00 ($9.25 MSRP) in the Casdagli Cigars lineup. Since it’s release the Pony, as the DotW Robusto is affectionately known, has undergone some changes. First, it is no longer a sub $10.00 cigar. The MSRP is now $11.00. The Pony has also received a complete make-over. The pigtail is gone…why it wasn’t called a ponytail is beyond me. The foot is now closed, too. The original Pony was also a 5″ x 50 and the latest iteration is a 5″ x 52 (though, the official Casdagli literature on the Pony still lists it as a 5 x 50).
The big changes come in the blend of the Pony. The Pony left the US market for around a year or so, beginning in 2022. During a cut & light that I attended, I was able to ask Jeremy where the Pony went and if we’d see it again. If memory serves, it had become an exclusive for a European country, Ireland maybe? Regardless, there was a lot of interest in bringing it back. Jeremy did, indeed, bring it back in November of 2023…but with a few changes. The Ecuadorian Criollo 98 binder was replaced with Ecuadorian H2000 binder and the fillers were changed to remove the Ecuadorian tobacco and replace it with Peruvian.
OVERVIEW
VITOLA: Pony
SIZE: 5″ x 52
ORIGIN: Costa Rica
FACTORY: Tobacos de Costa Rica
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian HVA
BINDER: Ecuadorian H2000
FILLER: Dominican Republic & Peruvian, Nicaraguan
STRENGTH: Medium – Medium+
SOURCE:
Casdagli Cigars
ENVIRONMENT
WHERE:
Studio/Lounge
WHEN:
July 24 @2pm
DRINKS:
Bottled Water
WEATHER:
70° & 70%RH
HOW MANY CIGARS SMOKED:
3
PRODUCTION
RELEASE TYPE Regular
ORIGINALLY RELEASE DATE Re-released to the US Market in November 2023
TOTAL PRODUCTION
Typical Box Size: Bundles of 10
Production Totals: Unknown
VITOLA BREAKDOWN
o Robusto (5″ x 52)
BAND DESIGN
The band is an old school looking Casdagli Cigars Daughters of the Wind band. Green, orange, and a dark shade of gold set the backdrop. The band features a pattern directly drawn from the original wallpaper decorating the Byzantine style reception room of Villa Casdagli in Cairo, Egypt; the original DotW horse head logo; and Jeremy Casdagli’s family trading symbol, the Colossus of Rhodes.
PRE-LIGHT OBSERVATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
The wrapper has obviously changed. What was light brown is now dark and toothy. Not too rough to the touch, but just this side of smooth. The dark wrapper has a closed foot, something else that changed since its original release in 2018. The Pony also no longer has a pigtail, though I think they missed the mark by not calling it a ponytail, but opts for what appears to be a double cap.
AROMA
A big note of barnyard is accompanied by lighter notes of Cedar and chocolate.
COLD DRAW
The cold draw reveals notes of figs, bread, and baking spices. The resistance is a bit open on 2 of the cigars smoked for this review. That is a bit odd, considering the closed foot hasn’t been lit yet. (Thankfully, there were no issues smoking. My bet is the foot was not completely closed on those 2.)
SMOKING EXPERIENCE
LIGHT & DRAW
Cut: LE PETIT Villa Casdagli
Fire: The Bar Single Flame Torch Lighter by Peter James
The initial light hits with notes of chocolate, nuts, caramel, sweet cream, and black pepper. The sweetness lingers on my palate while a note of coffee bursts through.
SMOKE
The smoke is creamy and plentiful. Each pull is satisfying and coats my mouth.
FIRST THIRD
>> Toasted Bread, Honey, Black Pepper
Nuts, baking spices, toasted bread, and a honey-like sweetness kick off the first third. Black pepper on the retrohale. The chocolate and caramel from the initial light are gone, but the sweetness remains. A wood note lingers on my palate. The burn is a bit disappointingly crooked, but does not require a touch up or relight. I find that a closed foot can sometimes lead to a crooked start; of course, it could just be user error. The ash, for its part, is compact. White with black streaks. The chocolate and caramel from the initial light return. The notes flow together, weaving in and around one another, swirling together to become something greater.
SECOND THIRD
>> Graham Cracker, Fruit, Baking Spices
The middle third begins very wood forward. It’s accompanied by a bright note of fruit, leather, and an earthy funk. Baking spices rule the retrohale and pull everything together. Coffee and graham cracker also become noticeable. The burn is still uneven. It is kind of disappointing that the burn was wonky on 2 of the 3 smoked for this review. The ash, however, looks like a stack of nickels. Caramel rejoins the chorus, along with toasted bread, marshmallow, and rich fruit note. The sweetness from the fruit note comes and goes, playing hide and seek behind coffee and wood notes.
FINAL THIRD
>> Espresso, Red Pepper, Fig
The final third begins with notes of espresso, charred wood, nuts, leather, and a hint of sweetness. Black pepper on the retrohale. There is an umami flavor that adds depth to the Pony. The burn line has finally self-corrected. The ash is still impressive. This third has ramped up the complexity of flavors compared to the first two thirds. A red pepper note begins to playfully claw at the back of my throat. The smoke is still creamy and unctuous. Charred cedar, fig, espresso, and toasted nuts stake their claim, and I’m not mad about it. It’s delicious, just as it has been since the light. A note of quality dark chocolate rounds out the flavors. Baking spices join the black pepper on the retrohale.
RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS
FLAVOR PROGRESSION
Earthy notes of nuts and wood are woven around sweet notes of fruit and honey. Graham cracker, baking spices, and black pepper give way to earthy notes of leather and espresso. The flavor progression of the Pony is one marked by smooth transitions and defined flavors that have depth, complexity, and nuance, There was nothing out of place or boring. The thirds melted into each other in the best possible way.
BURN EXPERIENCE
The burn on the Pony was a bit on the inconsistent side. The mascara line was crooked in 2 of the 3 cigars smoked for this review. That said, they each self-corrected: The first after the first third and the second in the final third. Perhaps the closed foot had something to do with that? Perhaps it was user error. Either way, it did not really impact the smoking experience of the Pony.
RATING BREAKDOWN
0.70 / 0.80 … Craft & Aesthetic
0.40 / 0.50 … Pre-Light Characteristics
0.45 / 0.50 … Lighting Process
7.12 / 7.70 … Smoking Experience
0.48 / 0.50 … Personal Enjoyment
COMPLIMENTS & CRITIQUES
- The flavor profile is exceptionally complex and nuanced.
- A very smooth smoking cigar experience with well defined transitions.
- Overall presentation could be updated to maintain consistency with the DOTW line.
YOU’LL WANT TO RIDE THIS PONY.
Inevitably someone is going to ask, “Is the new tweaked Pony as good as the original?” My official answer is, “I don’t know and I don’t care.” The original was great for the price point. The new blend is great, period. I remember loving the original. The original even had “special” COVID boxing. This new blend has the perfect mix of savory and sweet. It never gets boring. The flavors ramp up while it stays firmly in the medium to medium+ range. Casdagli Cigars always does the little thing right. Keeping the original band, while updating the packaging AND keeping the cost as close to $10.00 as they are just more examples of that. The Pony would be a great introduction to Casdagli Cigars for the uninitiated, and a wonderful experience for those familiar with the brand.
