The Pioneer By ChiMolly

ChiMolly is a relatively new brand launched in 2024.  The Pioneer is their third blend, launched in 2025.  While studying in America, Zhuofeng Weng met friends Hsuan Chang and Desson Chen and they quickly realized they had a shared passion for cigars.  Originally starting with accessories, they met Raul Reyner from Mi Havana Cigars at his lounge and that relationship helped launch ChiMolly Cigars.   Weng believes that "texture" is the key focus to deliver "sensory, emotional, and experiential value," in the cigar smoking experience.

BRAND / CO:  ChiMolly
CIGAR:  Pioneer
VITOLA:  Robusto Extra - 6" x 52
STRENGTH:  Medium - Full
WRAPPER:  Connecticut Broadleaf, Natural
BINDER:  Nicaragua
FILLER:  Dominican Republic / Nicaragua
ORIGIN:  Nicaragua, Mi Havana Cigars S.A.

APPEARANCE & CONSTRUCTION:   
It's a flat out beautiful cigar.  The thick Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is a warm dark chocolate brown. It has a rich oily sheen and lots of heavy tooth, giving it a rough texture.  The seams are visible, but tight, and the triple cap is perfect.  The cigar has a nice, firm feeling with just a little give when squeezed.  But a quick side note... They call this a Robusto Extra and how is that not a Toro?  Every other parejo cigar I've ever seen in 6" x 52 vitola is a Toro.  But I'll call it a Robusto Extra to play along. 

The dual bands are absolutely gorgeous though.  Rich purple with gold and white accents, it's a wonderful color combo to complement the wrapper's color.  It's also full of Chinese imagery and a Hanzi.  I attempted to translate the logographs but only half of the symbols on the main band registered and translated as "green ink." I'm not sure what the meaning is there?  The foot band has partial phrases that translated a little differently each time.   I'm not sure what the inspiration is for those either, but it's certainly interesting, and I'm curious what the ChiMolly guys intended as the original statements, or what they would say they translate to in English.

DRAW & BURN:   Good / Great
The draw is spot on and the burn starts with only a little bit of wave to it.  The ash is nearly white and tans only slightly as it cools.   It is a fairly solid and smooth ash with cracks going in every direction, but it's covered with oil crystals that blend in with the bright ash.  A thick cloud of white smoke billows out after each puff like a dragon.  By the end of the first third, the burn line is sharp and nicely settled in with only a slight waviness to it.   The ash holds well into the second third, almost halfway.  It never fell, which was disappointing that I couldn't see how far it would hold, but I needed to dump it for a midpoint relight.

FLAVOR PROFILE:   Excellent
The Pioneer starts with strong earth, charred oak, dark chocolate and bits of coffee.  There's a very nice raisiny, slight dark cherry sweetness that cuts nicely.  It's midly creamy, and you still have that rough quality that comes with Connecticut Broadleaf, but no harshness or pepper burn at this point.  The coffee, dark chocolate, rich earth and bits of mustiness are all smoothing the profile out over that charred wood base.  And there's just enough sweet to tickle the taste buds on your tongue.

There are changes into the second third, just a nice mix of the previously identified strong flavors with very good balance.  There's a bit of pepper spice starting to ramp up and the roughness of the Broadleaf is starting to slightly harshen up.  But then I start to detect refined leather, and the raisin sweet increases as well, helping to smooth things out. The dark chocolate and coffee flavors bring in a little natural bitterness, but it's all good.  This is a rich, dark and refined profile that's been a straight shooter throughout the smoke with only minor changes in intensity.  But it's a great smoke, nonetheless. 

OVERALL EXPERIENCE:   Excellent
The Oliva Master Blends 3 is one of my favorite Broadleaf wrapped Nicaraguan cigars.  This has a lot of similarities in profile, with less pepper and roughness.  The biggest advantage to the Oliva is you can usually find them heavily discounted, but in limited and smaller vitolas.  If you like rich, dark and earthy CT Broadleaf cigars, and want a beefier Connecticut Broadleaf  you need to try this out.

RATING (0-5):   5.0
WOULD I BUY IT AGAIN?:   Signs point to yes (recommended)
OVERALL SCORE (0-10):   9.5

Purchase Singles or by the Box HERE

Reviewed by Sean McCloskey of The Collective