Just to clear a point of confusion: this cigar is listed at Epinions as a "Don Diego Grande." It is, in fact, named the "Grandee."

The term "Grandee" means: "(1) A Spanish or Portuguese nobleman of the highest rank; (2) a man of high rank." (Webster's New World Dictionary, Second Concise Edition)

Don Diego cigars are a product of Altadis, the world's largest producer of cigars. These cigars are hand made in La Romana, Dominican Republic.


FIRST REVIEW: the Don Diego Grandee
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First: this was an excellent cigar. One of the best I've tried in recent weeks. This is a beautiful cigar featuring a dark-chocolate colored Connecticut wrapper (Maduro). A "Natural" (English Market Selection) version of this cigar is available with what is described as having an "almond-colored" Connecticut-shade wrapper.

The binder tobacco is from the Dominican Republic, and the long-filler blend is from the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Mexico.

This is a big cigar, measuring 6-inches in length and having a beefy ring gauge of 50 (50/64ths of an inch in diameter). Unlit, it has a pleasingly sweet, oiled-wood aroma. The cigar is firmly-filled and beautiful in all respects. It is almost a shame to light it up and burn it away.

In flavor, this cigar had a lightly spicy, almost peppery, edge. This is a medium-to-full bodied cigar. It certainly is not as hot and peppery as the Arturo Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8 -- a 6-inch, 47-ring gauge Corona Gorda black pepper bomb. The Don Diego Grandee burned evenly, with a soft-yet-solid white ash cylinder, indicating that the tobaccos used in this cigar's construction were well-aged and properly cured. I was almost disappointed when my afternoon smoke ended. This was a very nice cigar.


Price and Availability
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The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price for this cigar is $137.50 per box of 25 cigars ($5.50 apiece). J.R. Cigars -- jrcigars.com -- sells this cigar for $84 (plus $5 shipping) per box of 25 cigars. That works out to $3.56 per cigar. A fair price.

I purchased this cigar at a reduced price as part of a large ring-gauge sampler that J.R. offered to customers last year: 15 different premium cigars, all different brands, in an assortment of sizes for $29.95 (plus $5 shipping and handling). At this pricing, I actually purchased this cigar for about $2.30 -- a fantastic bargain and a great way to try different cigar brands and styles inexpensively. (Catalog no. SCS48 -- all cigars having a ring gauge of 48 or larger. Sorry! No longer in stock.)


Recommendations
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I smoked this cigar with a couple of cups of coffee. I think it would go well with some Kahlua (or Kahlua coffee, or some Black Russians. White Russians, too. I don't discriminate.) Would also pair well with a sweet, flavored Brandy like Korbel's X.O.

I would buy this cigar again.

Verdict: due to very fair pricing, I'd peg this one at 5-stars. Highly recommended.


Recommended: Yes

Cigar Name: Don Diego Grandee
Cigar Rating: Better than most
Price per cigar ($US): $3.50-$5.50