Artie 90 – The wrapper on this toro is light brown (colorado), with no visible veins and a smooth texture. A look a the foot shoes good random bunching, but it looks under-filled to me. The stick is also quite light in the hand. Once cut, the draw is wide open, confirming the loose pack of the filler. The cap cracked upon cutting. The cold nose is of sweet tobacco. Upon ignition, the initial flavor offerings are of intense cinnamon, and clove. As the stick heats up, its character gains complexity and becomes a virtual spice rack of flavors. The open draw produces abundant smoke although frequent relights are required. There is no ember cone at all and the ash is flakey. With a bit more filler, this cigar would be a gem. It’s got great flavor, and the finish is quite lovely and floral. Throughout the length, this cigar is smooth and complex. But put it down for a minute and it goes out.
Rob 88 – The stick has a dull brown but smooth wrapper. Tight invisible seams with a double cap. It has a very firm pack, and a straight cut yields a nice draw with a subtle tobacco aroma. Once torched a somewhat charred tobacco flavor is predominate with a fairly long finish. At one inch, it has a nice firm ash with a fairly straight burn. I am getting a short black pepper finish with a dry mouth feel. Half way; still a charred flavor with black pepper. Nice smoke output, but not much else in the flavor category. Very quickly the smoke changed and is now smoothing out with only a slight pepper finish left. It has become far more interesting with some flavors now arising of leather and vegetable. The second half did not change from this, but the smooth smoke feel continues to the end.
Paul 89 – Caramel brown wrapper, many medium veins, very solid feel, some darker mottling, very faint tobacco aroma, good cold draw, rich tobacco and dark fruit. First 1/3: Coffee, oak, umami, medium amount of smoke, mild strength, medium body and finish, light gray ash, leather replaces umami, even burn line, ash flakey and starting to bloom. Second 1/3: leather and some oak, floral on retrohale, coffee and cream, medium strength, body, and finish, more smoke volume, starting to canoe. Last 1/3: less smoke, burn goes wacky, creamy, no harshness, smooth to the end.
Jim 87 – Medium brown in color, I can see the edges of the wrapper and it is actually slightly lifting in one place. The veins of the tobacco leaf are very predominate. Draw has slight resistance but still decent. The first initial flavor after lighting up is a blast of toasted marshmallow. As it heats up, the spice begins to develop combining a slight sweetness with a spicy cinnamon finish. Strength is medium. Burn is wavy but relatively straight. I’m hitting the halfway point and the flavors have shifted dramatically. Sweetness and spice have gone away. Now I’m getting more of a strong oak and leather flavor. The cigar is also leaving a tangy but slightly citrus sour aftertaste. A totally different cigar than the first half. The citrus flavors with a new sweetness increased and took over in the last third. This has been are more difficult cigar to judge. I enjoyed the beginning but the transition was very odd. Then when I was about to write it off, it started liking it again. It would probably be good cigar paired with a lighter cocktail.
Will 95 – Nice big Toro with a medium tan wrapper, nice triple cap. Good looking stick. Cold nose is barnyard and pepper. Two big sneezes about 20 seconds apart. That is always a good sign. The cold draw is white pepper and sourdough toast. Lot’s of different flavors upon ignition, salty leather, walnut shell and caramel graham cracker, the finish is long and chewy. Dense smoke. At the 5 minute mark the caramel has hints of orange zest and is a bit sweeter on the still chewy finish. This cigar is full of good flavors and the graham cracker crust is now front and center. This cigar begs for glass of Kentucky bourbon but Stick with h20.The strength of this cigar has progressed nicely and the salty leather returns with a vengeance at the 30 minute mark. At 45 minutes the orange sweetness is back minus the caramel but a hint of maltiness on the finish. At the 72 minute mark I let the nub go as it became bitter. I truly enjoyed this stick, can’t wait to ID it. Guessing an Ecuador Habano wrapper with lots of Nica ligero, maybe some Dominican viso thrown in for sweetness. Yummy.
