By now you’ve seen us review a handful of smokes from Fratello and all for good reason. Omar de Frias puts in the hard graft to make each individual cigar he creates the best it can be. You may or may not know that Omar de Frias worked for NASA before diving into the cigar industry.
In 2017, de Frias showed off his latest creation at the IPCPR trade show. The Navetta, which is Italian for “shuttle”, was Omar’s love letter to the time he spent at NASA. Each size Omar released is named after a specific space shuttle he worked on during his time at NASA.
I was very excited to learn I needed to write a review for this gem because that meant I could smoke this one again! There isn’t a cigar from Fratello that I haven’t absolutely loved. So, I was excited to see how this cigar would fare when paying attention to the little niceties this cigar provides.
Cigar Specs
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Factory: Fabrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua
- Wrapper: Ecuador Oscuro
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Strength: Medium to Full-Bodied
- Smoke Time: 70 minutes
- Sizes Available:
- Fratello Navetta Toro Grande (6.25 x 54)
- Fratello Navetta 60 Enterprise (6x60)
Cold Draw
After I punched cut the Fratello Navetta Toro Grande, I did what I always do and took a few dry puffs to detect some cold draw notes. Out of the few puffs I took before lighting up, I was able to pinpoint hay, cocoa, and black pepper.
When I previously smoked this cigar, I remember being overwhelmed with black pepper. I wondered if this time would be the same once I lit and started smoking the Navetta.
First Third
The first few minutes into the Fratello Navetta started off with a bang. I could tell right away why this teetered on being medium to full-bodied. About 10 minutes in, the tobaccos in the wrapper, binder, and filler really started working well with one another.
With the three flavor notes from the cold draw still extremely prevalent, Cocoa was the one flavor note that stood out above the rest for me. Towards the end of the first draw, the notes of hay started to slowly fade away.
Second Third
As I entered the second third, a mixture of leather and dried cranberry took over my palate. Although cocoa and black pepper still played a factor in the taste, they took a backseat to the sweetness from the cranberry taste I was experiencing.
Another detail I was pleasantly surprised with was that the Navetta transitioned from full-bodied to an enjoyable medium-bodied smoking experience once I entered the second third. That was something I was not expecting to experience but happy that I did.
Final Third
As I approached the final third, the complexity of the tobaccos was working its magic on my palate. I was tasting so many different flavors from this smoke, which is rare for a final third.
The sweetness from the cranberry mixed with the leather and now a touch of fresh-cut grass made this smoke bolder than before. As I smoked this down to the nub, I was able to taste a dash of cocoa and the pepper which made this one of the most-well rounded cigars I’ve ever enjoyed.
Pairing Options
The previous two times I’ve smoked the Navetta, I paired it with a piece of chocolate the first time and an iced coffee the second. Both pairing options I highly recommend, because the sweet sugary notes from the candy and coffee work well alongside the Navetta.
This time around I decided to pair the Navetta with a beer I've been recently introduced to that I absolutely love. While smoking this bad boy, I had two “Big Wave” beers by Kona Brewing Company. A co-worker of mine told me about how he pairs most of his stogies with this beer, so I had to try it out.
The sweetness of the beer matched perfectly with the flavor profile of the Navetta. I recommend if you haven’t had Big Wave by Kona Brewing Company, that you go and try it immediately.
Final Thoughts
Available in two different sizes, that come in a box of 20, you’re looking at an MSRP of anywhere between $10.00-$11.25 per cigar.
As stated in previous reviews, that is now the industry standard price per cigar. It may seem a bit steep for a cigar brand you’re not familiar with, however, when it comes to any cigar from Fratello (specifically the Navetta), it’s worth every penny.