When you come across a stick that bolsters about being “one of the smoothest and creamiest we’ve found anywhere” and “one of the best beginner cigars,” that’s a tall order to fill. So I’ll put it to you like this – this cigar fits the bill! Read all the details below, but for someone who like a creamy, smooth cigar – this is the one for you. Before Lightup: When you open the packaging, you’re met by a dark tan wrapper with a more simplistic color scheme but an intricately designed band. Personally, I’m a big fan of simplicity and would prefer a cigar taste better than it looks rather than looking better than it tastes. The fragrance coming off the wrapper was a sweet leather, and the pre-light draw offered a mildly sweet grassy note through a perfect resistance. We went in with the V-cut and toasted the foot as we were off to the races! First Light: Right at lightup you’re met with a mild-to-medium body of natural flavor notes including a dried grass, a bright woodsy note (like a cedar), and a creamy leather – all what I would consider perfect and unoffensive to a beginner in the realm of Cigartopia. The textures of the smoke was delightful with a pillow-like softness and an overwhelming creaminess. It left you feeling like you had just taken a sip of milk and the residual creaminess was left on the tongue. The retrohale really helped to pick up the notes of cedar and creamy leather all while carrying no spice or warmth to the smoke. First Third: Into the first third I was met by a very specific flavor – Teddy Grahams, specifically the ones with that cinnamon dust on them. I know it sounds crazy but there was a distinct graham cracker and cinnamon note that paired exquisitely together. I also got a touch of a roasted almonds flavor as well as a very creamy custardy flavor – not texture, just the flavor. There was a sweetness on the lips coming from the wrapper and a mild white pepper on the retrohale at this point. The burn was spot on but, as I was checking for warmth, I did notice the stick was burning fairly warm under the burn line – nothing major but definitely something to keep an eye on moving forward. The overall body was relatively similar to the first light experience and the smoke was plentiful, soft, and creamy. Second Third: It was at this point in the stick that I wish I had sprung for the Toro over the Robusto as I found myself really enjoying a transition in flavors from a creamy, leather forward note that morphed into a nuttiness – almost like a butter pecan – which then gave way to a slight, creamy and woodsy note. The flavors did start darkening slightly toward the band which is to be expected with a smaller vitola. The ash held on beautifully – I was halfway done with the stick before ashing it. The body came up a tick to a solid medium and was chalked full of the flavors above. The band removal was a breeze and there was no strength (nicotine) detected at this point in the smoke. Final Third: As I get into the final third, I’m always looking at the coolness of the cherry and of the smoke. Throughout the cigar, both remained cool until I got to the final third. I was pleased when the cherry started warming up but didn’t seem to be affecting the coolness of the smoke. I also notice that the smoking time slowed significantly at the end of the second third and into the start of the final third. The body remained at a medium and flavor notes darkened just slightly. They included notes of graham cracker, medium leather, and cedar. I was pleased at one point in the final third that the generic nutty flavor shifted slightly toward a peanut brittle. Flavors then kind of faded and I was left with a flavor note that I can only describe as similar to a leather after you get done cleaning it – but that was short lived. Still no strength was detected at this point. Overall smoking time was 58 minutes. Overall: If I had a buddy looking to get away from the flavored sticks, or just to get into cigars at all, this would be one of the options I would lay on the table. It was a beautiful representation of the smoothness and creaminess that you can get from a blend while still maintaining some degree of complexity. Is it the most complex blend in the humidor? No, but it isn’t meant to be. The final score came out to a 9.0/10 or 90/100 and this will likely be one I keep stocked in my humidor – although next time I’ll spring for the next size up!
