Vitola: Toro
Size: 6.50″ x 54
Price $9.99
Purchased from Maxamar’s Cigars
Background
Seeing this cigar in Maxamar’s a couple weeks ago wasn’t too much of a shock since they both worked for La Gloria Cubana for so many years, with Ernesto being it’s founder. Back in February they announced to Cigar Aficionado that they would be coming out with this one size only limited release. The cigar is made up of tobacco that is half from General Cigars and half from EP Carillo. The box even showcases their different styles with the metallic half representing Michael and the wooden half representing Ernesto. The cigar is comprised of a filler made up of tobacco from Jalapa in Nicaragua (EPC) and Dominican Piloto Cubano (General), a Connecticut Broadleaf binder (EPC) and a Ecuadorian Havana wrapper (General). They come packed in 10 count boxes and the total production is limited to 1,500 boxes. The cigars are make in Ernesto’s factory in the Dominican Republic. I smoked one of these prior to the review.
Prelight
The wrapper on this cigar was slightly veiny and reddish brown in color. The wrapper also showed a good amount of oils and some tooth to it as well. When I gave it a squeeze there was a slight amount of give but no soft spots. Putting my nose to the wrapper I was able to get hay and leather from the wrapper with nuts and leather from the foot. When I cut the cap off I noticed that it has what I call the “trademark” EPC cap. It was very thick from the binder being folded over the top of the cigar needed a few cuts from my MTX to get it all out of the way. When I took a cold draw on it I noted a slightly metallic taste with a good draw.
Flavor
It started off with flavors of leather, nuts and cinnamon with a hint of red pepper spice on the tongue and retrohale. After about a half inch the spice did start building a bit. Towards the end of the first third I also noted some flavors of coffee, wood, green herbal spice as well but I did note that there was slight bitterness. The cigar started off in the medium range. As I got into the second third the spice did start to mellow out with flavors of graham, leather, coffee, wood, earth and green herbs coming through. However the bitterness was still there and had built in intensity a bit. The cigar stayed in the medium range through this third. As I moved into the final third the intensity of the flavors decreased in intensity while the bitterness built in intensity. The flavors I noted in this third were similar to the rest of the cigar, cinnamon, leather and wood. The spice did start to come back a bit. The cigar maybe reached the medium-full range by the end of the cigar.
Construction
The construction on this cigar was perfect. The draw was nice and open and the burn while a bit uneven at times it never needed any help.
Value
The price of this cigar is a good value for the limited nature of it.
Conclusions
If I’m remembering correctly the previous one of these I smoked was a little bit stronger. I do think that this cigar was a bit young though. It tasted like it needed to age a bit more before it was really ready. I think that this cigar will be very good after it has some time to rest. So since this cigar is reasonably priced I will be picking up a couple of them to set down for a bit and see what happens.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10
Excellent review> I hope the bitterness diminishes with age.
Looks great, maybe with a little age they will mellow..
Loved the review. I’ll be on the lookout for this one.
Nice write up Keith. I dig the band design of the middle “P” sharing the cross. Sounds like a cigar that will be better with age.
Always good when the person reviewing B&M is the same as yours. Never have to wonder if you can get the same cigars