Third in their series of interstellar cigars, manufacturer Fratello introduced the Bianco in late 2015 to rave reviews across the internet. Seven years after its initial launch, the Bianco still proves to be a star blend of tobaccos that continues to gravitate smokers in towards the Fratello line, making them one of the hottest boutique brands in the industry today.
From a wide range of styles and blends, Fratello has some “out of this world” smokes, thanks largely to their visionary CEO Omar de Frias a retired NASA employee and professional basketball player turned cigar curator who really brings the Fratello brand to new heights.
The Bianco reaches outside the stratosphere with a complex blend of Mexican, Nicaraguan, Peruvian, and Pennsylvanian tobaccos all wrapped up in a luxurious Mexican San Andres wrapper to create a complex and stellar cigar.
Cigar Specs
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Fabrica de Tabacos de Joya de Nicaragua S.A. (Esteli, Nicaragua)
Wrapper Type: San Andrés Mexican
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: USA / Nicaragua / Peru
Origin: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium
Wrapper Shade: Maduro
Sizes Available
Fratello Bianco III (5 x 56)
Fratello Bianco II (6 x 50)
Fratello Bianco I (6.25 x 44)
Cold Draw
I was taken aback by a sweet and mild fragrance from the foot, while the construction with very little visible veins was perfect. I grabbed for my red Colibri Quasar cutter and lighter that I found fitting for the Bianco’s modern space-age look and gave this gem a nice straight cut. My cold draw had flavors of espresso, sweetgrass, and molasses that were still very mild in both flavor and body.
Flavor Profile of the First Third
After a cut and quick toast, I took my first puff of the Bianco and was met with a much spicier first draw than I was expecting. With a blast of pepper that activated my palette, the spice quickly simmered down into a darker, earthier aroma that brought out the sweetness of the dark San Andres wrapper.
Beefier notes of oak and chocolate began to dominate the stick while a bit of spice still idled in the retrohale.
Flavor Profile of the Second Third
Midway through the first half of the cigar, the burn was torching along nicely, while the construction of the ash remained intact. The flavors became more mellow with those darker tones subsiding and becoming more vibrant with notes of dried fruit and bitter chocolate but still with that lingering spice undertone.
I really started to taste the balance of tobaccos in this cigar by this point. The spice had amped up the sweetness which created a very nice aroma.
Flavor Profile of the Second Third
Before I knew it, I was down to the halfway point of the Bianco and I didn’t know where time had gone; all I knew was I didn’t want to put this smoke down.
The nutty, earth notes started to become more saturated from the three Country filler and the toothiness from the wrapper was heating up from the extracted oils in this extremely delectable cigar. This was the most flavorful area.
By this point I kicked back, opened a beer, and watched the sky.
Flavor Profile of the Final Third
Time had flown again by the time I was down to the label and I started to gain a lot more spice with each puff.
The burn was still good and the smoke still had a sweet pungent aroma which was nice, but the spice was the main profile with each draw.
Pairings
With this space-aged smoke, I decided to pair it with something that was a bit more out there and with the same complexity level of the blend itself so decided to crack open a can of my favorite imperial IPA. Imperial IPS are double IPAs and tend to have a lot of hop aromas but are not overly bitter. The hoppiness of the beer with its rich bold flavors mixing with the sweet and spicy notes of the Bianco were one of a kind
In Conclusion
Fratello cigars are known for their classy modern design that evokes a sense of clean-vintage, Italian poster art from their bold colored bands to the rich and smooth leather espresso-colored wrappers.
With such great flavors and even a cooler back story, the Fratello Bianco is honestly, hands-down, a great smoke coming out of the Joya de Nicaragua factory.
Its blend is top-notch and at only $160 for a box of 20, or just $7 a cigar, you’re getting a great deal on a premium blend that really makes the grade.