Cigar Review: ADVentura The Royal Return Queen’s Pearls Corona

ADVentura The Royal Return, introduced in 2021 by ADVentura Cigars, is a two-cigar line created by Henderson Ventura and Marcel Knobel. The brand is crafted at Tabacalera William Ventura in the Dominican Republic, a factory renowned for producing cigars for brands like Caldwell Cigar Company, La Barba Cigars, and Room101 Cigars.

The Royal Return features two distinct offerings: Queen’s Pearls, wrapped in Connecticut Shade, and King’s Gold, wrapped in Connecticut Broadleaf. Notably, these two wrappers marked a first for ADVentura, as neither had been used in the brand’s regular lineup prior to this release.

Today we explore the ADVentura The Royal Return Queen’s Pearls Corona to discover its smoking experience.

About ADVentura The Royal Return Queen’s Pearls Corona

Owner: Marcel Knobel
Factory: Tabacalera William Ventura
Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Filler: Dominican, Ecuadorian, Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium
Size: Corona (6″ x 44)

Reviewed by: Ross from the Windsor shop

The Beginning

The ADVentura Royal Return Queen’s Pearls Corona opened with a blend of vanilla, cream, citrus, toast, and natural tobacco notes. Early on, the vanilla and cream took centre stage, while the citrus, toast, and natural tobacco receded to the background. Meanwhile, a layer of black pepper was noticeable on the retro-hale, prominent but not overpowering.

The Middle

In the middle of the Queen’s Pearls Corona, the vanilla notes remained at the forefront. By the midway point, the creaminess began to fade into the background, disappearing entirely before the end of this segment. Simultaneously, cedar and black pepper notes emerged on the palate, both gradually intensifying. Meanwhile, hints of citrus, toast, and natural tobacco provided a well-rounded flavour profile.

The End

Towards the end, the cedar notes took centre stage, replacing the vanilla. The vanilla then transitioned to a secondary role, accompanied by pepper, citrus, toast, and natural tobacco. This is how the smoking experience of the Queen’s Pearls Corona concluded. The nub was slightly soft to the touch and remained cool in temperature.

Burn & Draw

The construction of the ADVentura Royal Return Queen’s Pearls Corona was outstanding, which was evident in both the burn and the draw. The cigar maintained a straight burn path with a mostly even burn line, requiring minimal touch-ups. The ash was firm and predominantly silvery grey. Both the burn rate and temperature were perfectly balanced, contributing to an excellent smoking experience.

The draw of the Queen’s Pearls Corona performed exceptionally well. This cigar had just the right amount of resistance, which I consider ideal. It was also low-maintenance, making it easy to enjoy its full range of flavours.

Overall

Much like its counterpart, The Royal Return King’s Gold, The Royal Return Queen’s Pearls is a cigar crafted for the connoisseur. The Queen’s Pearls Corona offers subtle, refined, and well-balanced flavours, delivering everything one might expect from a classic “old school” Connecticut Shade cigar.

In fact, it stands out as one of the finest Connecticut Shade cigars I’ve smoked over the past year. While it’s not a cheap cigar, it certainly delivers great value. I would highly recommend it to any cigar enthusiast, and it would make an excellent Christmas gift.

Ross Rating: 10/10

What alcoholic drink would I pair the ADVentura The Royal Return Queen’s Pearls Corona with?

The ADVentura The Royal Return Queen’s Pearls Corona will pair fantastically with The Lakes The Whiskymaker’s Editions Nostalgia English Single Malt Whisky (70cl / 49%).

Nostalgia presents a harmonious blend of dried fruits, including apples and plums, complemented by notes of vanilla, white chocolate, butterscotch, baking spices, and a subtle touch of orange oil. As part of The Whiskymaker’s Editions series, this expression is crafted from a combination of oloroso sherry casks and bourbon barrels.

What soft drink would I pair the ADVentura The Royal Return Queen’s Pearls Corona with?

It’s Christmas time so I’m having Spiced apple syrup with clementine & cloves. Festive excellence.

Would I smoke the ADVentura The Royal Return Queen’s Pearls Corona again?

I’m a huge fan of ADVentura, I think they are some of the best Dominican cigars out there and The Royal Return Queen’s Pearls Robusto is another great release.