Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Robusto Corto

As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, a number of cigar companies begin introducing smaller smokes, seemingly geared towards those in places where the climate isn’t as conducive to enjoying a larger cigar.

This year, Plasencia was one of the companies to make such an announcement, though it also came with the news that the company was releasing a new series called the Short Smokes Collection.

Kicking off the collection is the Plasencia Reserva Original Corona Corta, a 3 7/8 x 48 short robusto that is priced at $7.99 and offered in 20-count boxes. Plasencia says the blend is the first and only organic cigar, made entirely from tobacco certified by the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA).

The second entry is this cigar, the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Robusto Corto, a 4 x 52 short robusto. Like the larger vitolas of the Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro line, it’s an all-Nicaraguan cigar, with a wrapper grown in the Jalapa region and aged for 10 years before being used.

The Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro, which debuted in January 2021, is a variation on the company’s Alma Fuerte line that debuted in 2016, and which uses a darker wrapper leaf.

Pricing is set at $14.99 per cigar and $299.80 for a box of 20 cigars.

Both new cigars are regular production releases and are being made at the Plasencia Cigars S.A. factory in Nicaragua.

“Every cigar we craft tells the story of our family, our land, and our commitment to excellence,” said Néstor Andrés Plasencia in a press release. “With these new Short Smokes, we honor the modern smoker’s lifestyle, offering moments of indulgence that can be savored fully in less time.”

• Cigar Reviewed: Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Robusto Corto
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Plasencia Cigars S.A.
• Wrapper: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Length: 4 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Shape: Round
• MSRP: $14.99 (Box of 20, $299.80)
• Release Date: October 2025
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

Were I not familiar with cigars and these smaller sizes, I might feel inclined to make some sort of joke about this fairly tiny smoke. What catches my eye is the ratio of bands to wrapper, as this uses three bands like its bigger linemates, but I can only see  about two inches of wrapper before any bands come off. The bands definitely contribute to the distinct—dare I say odd—look of the length, as when I take the bands off the second cigar before lighting, it doesn’t look that different. The cigars are all very evenly colored with little variation, and have just a touch of a waxy feeling to them. There is a fairly average number of veins, which are noticeable but not intrusive. The cigars all look well-rolled, with flat seams and tidy heads. Density-wise, the first cigar is firm, the second cigar is firmer and the third cigar is the least firm of the three. The first cigar’s foot has an aroma that is a mix of dry tobacco leaves and a bag of dry pretzels. The second cigar has a bit less of the dry pretzel smell and some very subtle bubble gum on the finish. The third cigar is the most complex, mixing the tobacco with some sweetness and a pinch of pepper. The cold draw is just a bit firm on the first cigar, but it’s far from concerning, while the flavor is softer by way of some thick creaminess, the dry tobacco flavor is milder and the pretzel is nowhere to be found. The second cigar’s draw is near ideal and the flavor is close to that of the first. The third cigar has the most open draw, a bit loose, with a flavor that’s mild and fairly nondescript.

The Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Robusto Corto starts relatively tamely with some pepper and creaminess that are joined by an assortment of honey graham cracker, light wood and old-fashioned donut. After those milder starts, the flavor intensity quickly revs up about a quarter of an inch in. Pepper is the most notable addition, but there’s a lively earthiness that’s now part of the offering. The body of the smoke gets a bit lighter and more airy, shedding the weight of the creaminess for something that makes me think of marshmallow fluff for a puff or two. As this section wraps up, the flavor also gets a touch toastier. Flavor is medium-plus, body is medium and strength is medium-minus. Construction is great.

That toasty flavor that entered the profile in the handoff from the first third is joined by a light pepper flavor that reutrns after a brief hiatus. The creaminess has largely departed, which turns the cigar a bit drier but doesn’t seem to suck the moisture out of my mouth. Around the midpoint of the first cigar, there’s a shift in the flavor and it’s not necessarily for the better. The profile that was pretty enjoyable gets a bit funky for a few puffs; thankfully, it’s short-lived and limited to this one cigar. The flavor of the first cigar then gets a little more charred, a very slight change, but one that is still noticeable. The second cigar does the opposite, getting sweeter with a caramel corn sensation and absolutely no char. The third splits the difference but intensifies the pepper in the retrohale more than the other two, with a full retrohale really tingling my nostrils at a level I haven’t yet felt. While the retrohales are now full, the flavor is closer to medium-plus, body is medium-plus and strength is medium-minus. Construction remains very good, though it feels like the combustion rate might have slowed just a touch from how quickly it moved through the first third.

With the retrohale still lingering in my nose, the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Robusto Corto’s final third starts off with a more pepper-forward profile. The creaminess has returned as a subtle accent. With it comes just a touch of chalk, which lasers in on the tip of my tongue when combined with the pepper. The graham cracker comes back as well, though the sweeter, honey aspect from earlier doesn’t return. A touch of chicken broth and light earth join in just as the smoke and cigar both begin getting warm. As expected, given that change, there’s a moment where heat jumps into the profile, and my lips get a hot sensation, signalling that the moment has come to put the cigar down. Flavor finishes medium-plus, body holds around medium-plus and strength stays shy of medium. Construction remains very good and I have no issues of note across the three cigars.

Final Notes

• In October 2022, I reviewed the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Eduardo I, a 6 1/4 x 54 toro extra vitola.
• Plasencia also refers to this cigar as the Rubustus Corto on its website, though the official announcement called it Robusto Corto, which is what we went with. I’ve also seen retailers calling it the Robustus Corto.
• I understand the thought behind releasing shorter cigars as the colder months arrive, though I do wonder if it comes at the expense of the cigar’s sales in the warmer months. Personally, I enjoy a shorter, thinner cigar, as I can always smoke another one if I want, as opposed to feeling like I’m wasting the unsmoked portion of a bigger cigar.
• Living in a warm-weather place, this also feels like it comes out at a time of year when I would be outside more and able to enjoy a larger cigar.
• None of the three cigars delivered much nicotine strength, never moving past what I’d call a medium-minus level.
• Even though these are just two inches shorter than a toro and one inch shorter than a robusto, it’s amazing what a difference that makes.
• Plasencia advertises on halfwheel.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.

• The company lists these as a 4 x 52 short robusto. The numbers above are the measurements we found for the three cigars used for this review.
• Final smoking time was one hour and 35 minutes on average, though I could see smoking this more quickly were I outside and fighting off chilly temperatures.
• Site sponsors Atlantic Cigar Co. and Cigars Direct carry the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Robusto Corto.

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and the G-League’s Valley Suns. I was previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League, and Goodyear Ballpark, spring training home of the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I’m a voiceover artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.