Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Undisclosed
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Toro (6 x 52)
Strength: Medium→Medium+
Price: ~$5.00
Date Released: Regular production
Blenders: Cigar Page / Raymond Pages
Factory: Undisclosed
Experience Rating: 92
Maybe it’s the cigar snob in me, but I’ve avoided Cigar Page’s house blends made by Raymond Pages, writing them off as yardgars. Having smoked a few recently, I found myself eating crow—especially with the Hoofty.
When I first saw it on Cigar Page, I read the name and thought, dismissively, Hoofty? Get serious. It felt silly. But then I remembered the LCA releases I’ve smoked—Purple People Eater, Super Sea Monkeys, Red Ryder, Dead Stock. A name doesn’t tell you much about a cigar or how it smokes.
Unlike those LCA cigars, the Hoofty—and other Cigar Page house blends—start at a disadvantage. They’re budget-priced, and the expectation is that they’ll be uninspiring and somewhat flavorless. Just looking at them, most people—myself included—treat them as something to burn without thinking.
After spending time with a few of these blends, that assumption feels off. Price is setting the expectation, not the cigar.
Let’s just get this out of the way to help frame the discussion. Strip away the expectation, and what’s left is simply an enjoyable cigar. That became clear pretty quickly once I let it be what it is.
I’ve smoked the Hoofty a couple of times already (as I said, it’s an enjoyable cigar), and each time I grabbed one from my humidor, I had a little chuckle because the packaging reminded me of the Sancho Panza Limited Edition, with its bold yellow hue and outlandish graphics.
The first thing that struck me when I removed it from its tube was the stained cellophane. This has had some shelf time, and frankly, I nodded in approval because it meant the oils had time to migrate to the surface of the wrapper. In my experience, that usually points to flavor. And as you’ll see, it’s not lacking in that department.
The wrapper carries a nice, oily sheen with aromas of hay, barnyard, and leather. The foot mirrors that. The cigar feels solid in hand, but it’s surprisingly light. The cold draw is Padrón-like, with ample airflow. It smokes quickly—about 55 minutes to an hour. That actually works in its favor.
Lighting it up produces a healthy hit of cedar, followed by leather, light coffee, and cocoa. Strength settles at medium, and the smoke is smooth with a slight creaminess. It’s a good start.
As the cigar settles in, there’s no defined core yet. A light cayenne spice appears, joined by malt, sourdough, and a molasses-like sweetness in the background. As it unfolds, the spice takes the lead, but it never pushes too far.
Deeper in, the cigar produces copious smoke that’s thick and velvety smooth. A core begins to form: spice still leads, but now feels foundational. Light coffee settles into the core alongside leather and charred oak. The cigar feels more structured and composed.
With that structure in place, complexity arrives in the form of pinpricks—floral notes, a faint fruity sweetness, saltine cracker, sourdough, cedar, bell pepper, and a mushroom-like umami.
At that point, it was clear I had judged this cigar too quickly. On its own terms, it’s a fine smoke—something I could enjoy anytime.
By the halfway point, the core remains intact. The spice has detached and now circles the profile, lifting it. A dry minerality settles into the finish, taking its place.
Transitions take place in the foreground, with different flavors presenting themselves in turn: yeasty sweetbread, floral notes, malt, cocoa powder, and citrus. They appear, linger, fade, then make way for the next.
While this is happening, leather pulses in the background, almost rhythmically—like a subwoofer pounding in the back of a nightclub.
In the last couple of inches, spice becomes mouth-coating. Still gentle, but ever-present. The transitions fade, leaving only the core. But what’s left is still enjoyable.
Coffee darkens to espresso. Leather moves forward. Charred oak remains steady. And the dry minerality on the finish keeps everything afloat.
The structure remained intact. Never collapsing. Never falling apart.
It was enjoyable down to the nub.
A cigar like this isn’t going to replace your go-to cigars. But it does have moments of complexity. They’re subtle, but they’re there, and they add just enough to keep things interesting.
I had one last night while sipping a shot of El Pasador del Oro rum and reading a book. Unlike my finer cigars, the Hoofty didn’t demand my attention. It was content to let me sit with it and enjoy a quiet hour at the end of the day.
That was enough.
Alex Gougher of Cigar Page has graciously provided a 15% discount on the Hoofty, valid through April 30th. Use code: UNCOBHOOFTY15. Here’s the link.
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