Torano Exodus 1959 Gold robusto

Torano Exodus 1959 Gold robusto (5x52)

The Exodus 1959 commemorates the Exodus of expert Cuban cigar families and their impact on the cigar industry after the nationalization of all tobacco farms and cigar factories by the Cuban government in 1959. The Toraños were one of those families. This cigar has rich and bold flavors with a dynamic blend of tobaccos from five different countries.

  

Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Dominican Republic/Honduras/Mexico/Nicaragua/Costa Rica

 

Video review HERE.
 

The cigar is a dark brown. It is box pressed. The draw was very good. Very sharp box press. I like to smoke box pressed cigars slowly so that they will burn evenly. At light up there were lightly sweet grapefruit notes, vanilla and some almond on the back end. The finish is long with vanilla.

 

The cigar quickly change to rich orange and vanilla with nice pepper, and the finish has taken on a raw almond flavor. At this point I was only 1/2 inch in.

 

After about an inch the cigar had rich orange citrus with light vanilla notes which added richness and some almond. The pepper is very good and it lingers on the palate. The finish changed to a rich vanilla at this point. 60% of the flavor in the spice is orange citrus, 25% vanilla, and the remaining flavor is almond.

 

 

 After removing the band the spice changed to a tart grapefruit mixed with the orange. The finish is more almond at this point. The pepper is still very good. The finish is changing from vanilla to almond. It has a richness to it in either case.

 

Near the end the cigar had a mix of orange citrus and grapefruit with subtle vanilla. The almonds appear to be more prominent. The pepper remained very good. This is not my first Exodus 1959 but it is current production. It appears to be on par with others from the past.

 

Score: 91
 

La Herencia de Cuba Red label torpedo

La Herencia de Cuba Red Label Torpedo (6 1/8x52)

Video review HERE.

This is the second La Herencia de Cuba cigar that I have reviewed this month. Previously I reviewed the White label torpedo. I was told that the White label was the fuller bodied version of the La Herencia de Cuba, so I wanted to find out how the Red label stacked up against the White.

You can sample these cigars by going to their site and picking up an 8 cigar sampler of all their blends.

The cigar had a good draw. Initially it had notes of leather and cinnamon.

About 3/4" in it had grapefruit notes, almonds, and leather. Short finish; almost clean with light notes of raw almonds.

I had 2 of these cigars so I decided to have one last night to get familiar with them. The cigar I had last night was quite different from this cigar. It had rich, sweet notes of orange citrus.

After another inch there were still grapefruit notes with some vanilla. Leather is still quite prominent with notes of coffee. The pepper is good. The finish is longer with almonds and a touch of sweetness.

I was told the white label was the fuller bodied of the 3 but this cigar is rather full bodied at this point.

Just past the midpoint the notes are grapefruit with some vanilla on the back end with a ton of leather. The cigar does not have sweetness. The pepper is still nice. The finish is a semi-sweet almond notes. This cigar has a lot of leather notes. If you like leather flavors you will like this cigar.

In the final stages I would say this is the tale of 2 different cigars with the same blend. This cigar is predominantly grapefruit with a touch of sweetness and a ton of leather. I am scoring this cigar in this review but I must say that it is nothing like the cigar I had last night. To make the point, the cigar last night was very rich with orange citrus and vanilla. It was fantastic! If I had reviewed that cigar I would have given it a score of 93. It was that good. This cigar is entirely different! The leather notes in this cigar are quite prominent and I personally do not like cigars with mostly leather notes. Therefore the score below reflects this cigar.

Score: 85

Graycliff Cigar Company appoints Torano Family Cigar Company as official distributor in USA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GRAYCLIFF CIGAR COMPANY APPOINTS TORAÑO FAMILY CIGAR COMPANY AS OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR IN USA

Nassau, NP, Bahamas, Miami, Florida (May 22, 2011) – The Graycliff Cigar Company and the Toraño Family Cigar Company are proud to announce that Graycliff has officially appointed the Toraño Family Cigar Company as its exclusive distributor in the U.S.A. as of June 1, 2011.

“After many years of doing our own distribution, we decided that it was best if we partnered with Toraño to handle that part of our business, so we could focus on the production side,” said Paolo Garzaroli, President of the Graycliff Cigar Company. “We chose Toraño for the similarity in our family values and because our respective cigar brands will complement each other very well.”
“We are excited about this partnership between Toraño Family Cigar Co. and Graycliff Cigar Company. Graycliff is a super-premium brand and we are honored to be given the responsibility to grow its distribution nationwide. This union of two very passionate tobacco families will only enhance both of our positions in the cigar industry,” said Charlie Toraño, President of Toraño Family Cigar Company.

After taking back their own distribution in August 2010, the Toraño Family Cigar company underwent several changes, to include a successful rebranding effort, new ad campaign, several key hires and the introduction of three new brands. Graycliff Cigar Company saw this as the perfect partners for the two companies to grow their brands in the premium cigar market.

The Graycliff Cigar Company was founded by the Garzaroli Family when Enrico Garzaroli fell in love with cigars but was unable to find that “perfect” cigar to complement what Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant has always been known for: excellent cuisine, fine wines and luxurious accommodations. The Company began production in January 1997 in Nassau, The Bahamas. What then began as a single roller in the restaurant entrance way has now expanded to an award winning boutique Cigar Company with 16 master rollers, each an expert in their various format.

A leader in the cigar industry, Toraño Family Cigar Company is a four generation company currently based in Miami, FL. It enjoys a rich heritage and history in tobacco growing and manufacturing.
For additional information on the Graycliff Cigar Company, contact 1-855-GRAYCLIFF, email cigars@graycliff.com or visit www.graycliff.com. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GraycliffCigarCompany and follow them on Twitter @GraycliffCigars.
For more information on the Toraño Family Cigar Company, contact 1-800-7-CIGARS: www.torano.com. Please also follow Toraño on Face book: Toraño A family Cigar Company or on Twitter: @TORANOFAMCIGARS.

General Cigar rolls back price of Macanudo 1968

GENERAL CIGAR ROLLS BACK PRICE OF MACANUDO 1968 

Richmond, VA—General Cigar announces today that the company is reducing the price of all Macanudo 1968 cigars, representing an average price savings of more than $3.33 per cigar, and an average cost savings of more than $32.00 per box. 

The new pricing of Macanudo 1968 is currently being made available exclusively at brick and mortar retailers across the U.S.

Bill Chilian, director of marketing commented, “Since the debut of Macanudo 1968 in August of 2008, the brand has enjoyed critical acclaim and has received high praise from brick and mortar retailers across the country.  We recognize that Macanudo 1968 is a strong product with tremendous potential and decided to revise the pricing structure to make the brand accessible to a broader range of cigar enthusiasts.” 

Under the new pricing structure, Macanudo 1968 Churchill (7” x 49) will now be available for $7.69 per cigar or $153.80 per 20-count box (previous price was $10.00 per cigar or $200 per box). Macanudo 1968 Toro (6” x 54) will now carry an SRP of $7.49 or $149.80 per box (previous price was $9.50 per cigar, or $190.00 per box). 

At 5” x 50, the Robusto frontmark (5” x 50) will now retail for $6.49 per cigar, with a box price of $129.80 (previous price was $8.50 per cigar and $170.00 per box).  Rounding out the collection is Macanudo 1968 Gigante (6” x 60) which will now cost $7.99 apiece or $159.80 per box (previous price was $11.00 per cigar, or with a box price of $220.

About Macanudo 1968

Macanudo 1968 is made completely of tobaccos which are either grown by General Cigar or cultivated for the company under an agreement of exclusivity.  Harvested one sun-ripened leaf at a time, aged in tercios and charcoaled wooden barrels to further enrich its flavor, the blend marries proprietary Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco to a tobacco cultivated solely for General Cigar in the remote Nicaraguan island of Ometepe. These tobaccos were developed expressly to complement the hearty Connecticut Habano binder and flawless, lustrous Honduran San Agustin wrapper.   

Macanudo 1968 is aesthetically pleasing, with the brand’s characteristic round head and immaculate construction evident at the first glance. From the first draw to the last, deeply complex yet balanced flavor envelops the palate with a freshness that celebrates inherent natural sweetness from the soils that bore each tobacco.

About General Cigar

General Cigar Co. Inc., a division of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, manufactures and markets handcrafted cigars for the premium market. Committed to delivering cigars of the finest quality, General Cigar’s skilled artisans produce Macanudo, Cohiba®,  La Gloria Cubana®, Punch®, CAO®, Partagas®, Hoyo de Monterrey®, Excalibur® and several other leading premium brands in the company’s Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan factories. In addition, the company cultivates proprietary tobacco which is used exclusively in its blends. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a cigar bar in New York City. Based in Richmond, VA, General Cigar sells through tobacconists nationwide and also exports select products to 62 countries. For more information, please visit www.cigarworld.com.

®  Macanudo, Cohiba, La Gloria Cubana, Punch, CAO, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co. Inc.

CAO LX2 Bam

The weekend began with a trip to the Tobacco Merchant's 13th anniversary event where they had a CAO event going on. I met up with Will Woodcock, rep for General Cigar and CAO.

Since there was a CAO event I decided to purchase a cigar that Will brought to the South Carolina Sit Down; the CAO LX2 Bam. The one I had was very good and I wanted to see if I had the same thoughts about the second one. I purchased 2 at the event. The Bam is a short cigar, only 4" long with a ring gauge of 45. It is square pressed. Below is my review of the CAO LX2 Bam.

CAO LX2 Bam (4x45)

Video review here.

This cigar looks great. It appears to be very well made. It is square pressed.

 

The test draw was just a tad firm but almost effortless.

 Lx2 means ligero times two. Ligero represents the highest priming on a tobacco plant. Since this portion of the plant receives the most sunlight, it produces a dark and thick leaf that’s loaded with flavor, strength, and spice. CAO Lx2 utilizes a bold mixture of 100% ligeros, including a dark and oily Nicaraguan wrapper cloaking a robust recipe of Dominican and Nicaraguan long-fillers.

After 1/2 inch there were a lot of intense cinnamon and grapefruit spice notes with some almond notes on the back end. The finish was long with vanilla. Nice pepper on both ends. There is a darkness to the cigar, much like coffee. There is also a touch of sweetness.

Just past the 1/2 inch point the spice became a sweet, rich orange citrus. The finish remained the same and the pepper was still very good. It appears the ligero is giving the cigar the dark, full bodied notes instead of coffee.

At the midpoint (about half hour) the richness of the orange citrus has become the main flavor with the cinnamon taking a secondary place. There are some vanilla notes mixed in with the orange citrus. The vanilla is still very good on the finish.

About 3/4 into the cigar the main flavors are still the same with the addition of some roasted almonds on the back end of the spice.

The burn was pretty even. The cigar boils down to a nice orange citrus with cinnamon and some roasted almond notes with vanilla. The finish was long with primarily vanilla notes. The pepper was very good on both ends.

The cigar took just over 45 minutes to smoke so it's short enough to have a good cigar in a short time.

To me this is the best of the LX2's that I've had.

Score: 91

Team La Gloria debuts El Perrito War of Flavors

TEAM LA GLORIA DEBUTS “EL PERRITO WAR OF FLAVORS”

Richmond, VA--Team La Gloria® presents El Perrito War of Flavors, an innovative new cigar handcrafted entirely by hand and shaped without a cigar mold.

The cigar’s distinctive name is derived from a term coined at the El Credito® Cigar Factory in Santiago, DR.

El Perrito (translation: little dog) was created by two cigar factory supervisors (Robert Batista and Juan Almonte)who brought their concept for a small, powerhouse cigar to El Credito’s Michael Giannini (director of marketing) and Yuri Guillen (director of manufacturing). The supervisors came to Michael and Yuri, raving about how they made the cigars and describing the taste experience as a battle of flavors in the mouth. Michael and Yuri sampled the prototypes and the rest, as they say, is history.

According to Michael Giannini, “El Perrito is a prime example of how Team La Gloria operates. We’ve empowered all of our employees, from rollers and bunchers to supervisors, to bring forth ideas for new products. When Yuri and I were approached with the concept of an entirely handmade cigar with incredible flavor, we almost instantly became excited. El Perrito continues our platform of innovation by allowing us to bring a unique and value-priced offering to market and we’re confident it will be a fast favorite among premium cigar consumers.”

Handcrafted with two filler leaves (Nicaraguan and Dominican), bound with Connecticut Broadleaf and wrapped with Ecuadoran Habano, El Perrito cigars are shaped entirely by hand, using the index finger to achieve a torpedo-like head.

Sized expressly to maximize the flavor of the blend, the 5 1/2” x 38 cigar is bundled and packed in a rustic wooden box which hints at the cigar’s humble beginnings. El Perrito War of Flavors is currently debuting at tobacco shops across the U.S. for a suggested retail price of just $2.50 per cigar, or for $125.00 for a 50-count, boxed bundle.

El Credito El Perrito War of Flavors continues the tradition of innovation that has garnered acclaim for Team La Gloria, the new product development team for La Gloria and El Credito cigars.


About La Gloria Cubana
La Gloria Cubana cigars are produced by General Cigar Co. Inc., a division of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, which manufactures and markets handcrafted cigars for the premium market. Committed to delivering cigars of the finest quality, General Cigar’s skilled artisans produce Macanudo®, Cohiba®, La Gloria Cubana, Punch®, CAO, Partagas®, Hoyo de Monterrey®, Excalibur® and several other leading premium brands in the company’s Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan factories. In addition, the company cultivates proprietary tobacco which is used exclusively in its blends. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a cigar bar in New York City. Based in Richmond, VA, General Cigar sells through tobacconists nationwide and also exports select products to 62 countries. For more information, please visit www.cigarworld.com.

® La Gloria Cubana, El Credito, Macanudo, Cohiba, Punch, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co. Inc.

FYI, I have some samples of these cigars that I will be smoking and reporting back on soon. The first one I had was a very rich cinnamon and orange citrus mix with nice black pepper. The cigar is a small ring gage but it smokes slowly! The cigar lasted a little over an hour. They are quite rustic looking; not pretty! But they taste great! And, they're cheap!

La Herencia de Cuba White torpedo

La Herencia de Cuba White torpedo (6 1/8x52)

I first learned of these cigars during a visit to Lite Um Up Cigars in Columbia several years ago. I did a review on them and gave the cigar a nice rating. I wanted to give them another try since I'll be in Tampa, Florida in early September and want to visit their shop. The La Herencia de Cuba White torpedo is one of  3 color bands that they make; red, white, and yellow. They use to have a black label but it is no longer shown on their website. Now they have the Ramirez label but I am unsure if it took the place of the black label or if it's a separate label.

Video review here.
The cigar appears to be very well made. Of the 3 color labels this should be the fullest bodied.

Wrapper - Dark Habano
Binder - Indonesia
Filler - Dominican Republic, Nicaragua

The white label is the fuller bodied of the 3 color labels. After the cap was cut the test draw was very good.

Quite a bit of pepper, cinnamon, and leather notes at light up.

After a few minutes (about a half inch) the flavors settled down into a ton of black pepper, cinnamon, and a sweet grapefruit citrus. The finish was very long with a ton of black pepper and a sweet vanilla.

 At the 1/3 point the spice was still very much cinnamon and pepper. The citrus notes are more of a sweet orange at this point. The finish is still long with sweet vanilla and hints of raw almonds. The pepper is still good and lingering. The cigar is medium bodied and appears to be moving toward full bodied.

The cinnamon is a dry cinnamon with the mix of citrus makes for a very nice flavor.

At the midpoint there were no major changes.

At the final 1/3 the vanilla is more prominent in the spice. It is a deep, rich vanilla, somewhat like a roasted vanilla.

I reviewed this cigar on June 29th, 2008. At that time I mentioned a lot about the cigar having leather notes. This cigar did not have many leather notes.

The cigar can be wrapped up by saying it has a lot of cinnamon and citrus notes. Vanilla came into play in the final 1/3. There is a lot of black pepper throughout. This was a very good cigar. I really enjoyed it. I rated this cigar a 92 back in 2008 and I am giving this cigar the same rating.

Score: 92

Don Pepin Garcia Los Imperialistas

Don Pepin Garcia Los Imperialistas torpedo (6 1/8 x 52)

Los Imperialistas Cigars is the brainchild of Jesse Wills of Atlanta, Georgia. Los Imperialista cigars have been made by Jose Pepin Garcia since early 2003, way before Pepin became the darling of the cigar world after the introduction of Pete Johnson's Tatuaje cigars. Originally, Los Imperialista was made in Pepin's Miami factory, but are now made alongside San Cristobal, 601, Tatuaje Red Label and others in Pepin's Nicaragua factory.
Los Imperialistas are made in Pepin’s factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, and are available in the standard sizes of robusto, toro, torpedo and churchill. But the most interesting thing about the cigar is the inspiration for the name. The name Los Imperialistas (The Imperialists) was inspired by a comically infamous billboard in Havana, Cuba, which depicts a Cuban soldier taunting a sweating, growling and cowering Uncle Sam across the water, saying “Mr. Imperialists. We have absolutely no fear of you!”

Wrapper: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Vitolas:

• Churchill
• Torpedo
• Robusto
• Toro

I picked up 3 cigars locally at The Cigar Box on Rosewood Drive in Columbia, SC. The sizes I purchased were the churchill, torpedo, and robusto. All 3 cigars cost me around $18. Quite reasonable for a Pepin cigar. I chose the torpedo to review today because I felt it would be the best choice to represent the best flavors of these cigars. Of course, I'll be reporting back on the churchill and the robusto later.

Video review here.
The cigar is quite dark. The test draw was a tad firm. I like to cut a torpedo at an angle to give more surface area to draw through. The first draws had citrus spice and some leather. I let the cigar rest for a minute to develop.

About 3/4 inch in the flavors were coffee, cinnamon, a mix of citrus, and some almond, some vanilla, and what appear to be some tea notes with good black pepper. The finish was long with vanilla notes and some pepper. The ash was tight. So far this is not a typical Pepin cigar.

Close to the midpoint the flavors settled into coffee, orange citrus, and almond.  The pepper is subtle for a Pepin cigar. The finish is still one of vanilla and some hints of almond with some lingering pepper. The burn was perfect.

At the midpoint vanilla appeared. There is still black coffee, orange citrus and now vanilla. The cigar is rather complex. It keeps changing.

Just a little further along the vanilla became very rich. That is yet another change. The flavors now are coffee, orange citrus and rich vanilla.

The band is unlike any other Pepin cigar. Here is a picture of it after I removed it from the cigar.

In the final stages the cigar did not change much from the last report. The cigar has made several changes throughout the smoke. The cigar finished with black coffee, orange citrus and rich vanilla. The finish is one of vanilla and lingering pepper. The cigar was medium to full bodied. This cigar is not like any other Pepin cigar I've had. It's quite complex. It is very tasty. I very much enjoyed the cigar.

Score: 92

Nestor Miranda Dominicano Robusto Grande

Nestor Miranda Dominicano Robusto Grande Rosado (4 1/2 x 54)

I first sampled this cigar at this year's South Carolina Sit Down. The Miami Cigar website has this to say about the Nestor Miranda Dominicano:

The Nestor Miranda Collection Dominicano brings to fruition a collaboration that began almost nine months ago, between Nestor Miranda, Pepin Garcia and Guillermo Leon.
It was Miranda’s desire that the next cigar in the very successful line pay tribute to the tobacco and cigar heritage of the Dominican Republic.
The collaboration brought together the tobacco growing expertise of La Aurora, the blending and manufacturing talents of My Father Cigars and the marketing talents of Miami Cigar & Company.
The result is a cigar of elegance, complexity and nuance capable of carrying the Nestor Miranda Collection banner alongside the already respected Special Selection line. 

Wrapper: Dominican Corojo Oscuro and Rosado
Binder : Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium to Full

All vitolas are available in both a Rosado and Oscuro wrapper.  They are available in 5 sizes:

Coffee Break 4 1/2x50
Lancero 7 1/2x40
Piramides 6 1/8x52
Robusto Grande 4 1/2x54 (Rosado version being reviewed today)
Ruky 5 5/8x48x52
        
A well made looking cigar with a reddish brown wrapper. The test draw after the cap was cut was effortless.

Video review here.

The first draws had a touch of leather and some grapefruit notes with almonds. The light up can sometimes give a hint as to what the cigar will be but let's see how this one plays out.

After the cigar settled down it had a very unusual flavor. It was very much cinnamon and pepper with light vanilla but the cinnamon tasted like dry, crushed cinnamon with lots of pepper. The dry cinnamon flavor was unique to me as I have never had a cigar with this particular flavor. When I say dry it is like the cinnamon you might purchase at the grocery store. Mix that with black pepper and this is the primary flavor!

At the midpoint the cigar transitioned to one of slightly sweet grapefruit. The vanilla tends to remain at the back end of the draw. The pepper lingers on the palate nicely. The finish is long with vanilla notes. The primary flavors of dry cinnamon and pepper still lead the way.

Even though Miranda wanted to pay homage to the Dominican cigar producers the only thing Dominican about this cigar is the wrapper. It is a Dominican Rosado wrapper.

I had a review helper today; Bonnie! Bonnie is a white Maltese dog. She is visiting for 2 weeks while my mother in law is on an overseas trip.

This cigar did not have a lot of sweetness. There was a light sweetness at the midpoint.

The cigar wraps up as one of very much a dry cinnamon and black pepper flavor with light grapefruit notes and back end vanilla. The finish is long with vanilla notes and lingering black pepper.

The cigar lasted just over an hour.

This is definitely another winner from Nestor Miranda. I really enjoyed this cigar.

Score: 90

Lashes and MustASHES in town!

Joyce, owner of Lashes and MustASHES, a mobile cigar lounge, was in town today and will be here tomorrow for the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce golf tournament.

Joyce is a native of Columbia but now lives in Atlanta, Georgia. You can learn more about her mobile cigar lounge by going here.

Here is a video of the mobile cigar lounge.

Lashes and MustASHES offers the best elements of your favorite cigar lounge, with one exception - our unique lounge experiences are completely portable!

Whether you're a connoisseur of cigars or are just interested in a unique experience, we invite you to indulge in the luxury, sophistication and camaraderie you typically only associate with the best local cigar lounges.Our lounge options include our Cigar Veranda, Vintage Land Yacht, and Signature Hostess Service. We offer a comfortable, welcoming place for you to relax, unwind and share stories. Your experience comes fully equipped with all of the amenities you need for a truly memorable affair, including:

• Stocked humidor
• Personal attendant
• Wine & beverage cooler
• Cigar sales & service
• Plush leathers and woods
• Comfortable seating
• Flat Screens & Surround Sound

Make your next party, business retreat, or event something special with a Lashes & MustASHES portable cigar lounge experience. Nothing spells class and variety like the luxury of a fully stocked cigar lounge that will impress your guests and make you truly stand out from the crowd.

We offer outstanding accommodations for tailgate parties, including a premiere concierge service by "Smokestresses." Lashes and MustASHES is perfect for you next event, including wine tastings, birthday parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, corporate meetings and holiday celebrations.

Unique Experience. Unparalleled Service. Uncompromised Quality.

To reserve your portable cigar lounge experience, call us today at (404) 520-5002.

Our lounges are exclusively for cigar and pipe smoking. Cigarettes are prohibited.

It was good to meet Joyce. I have spoken to her several times on the phone but this is the first time we've met. She was scheduled to be at the South Carolina Sit Down this past April but had generator problems and had to cancel. She's at the Wildwood Country Club today and tomorrow so go out and experience her lounge and meet her yourself!

Monte Pascoal Double Corona

Monte Pascoal Double Corona (7 5/8 x 49)

Wrapper: Brazil Mata Fina
Binder: Brazil Mata Fina
Filler: Brazil Mata Fina and Mata Norte

Video review here.

I received this cigar from Wes Gensel, Managing Partner of Monte Pascoal. This was my first experience with his cigars. They are the "new kid on the block" in the U.S. cigar market and are eager to get the word out about them. Their cigars are a puro using all Brazilian tobacco. Cigar makers have been using Monte Fina tobacco as part of their cigars for some time but these cigars use it almost exclusively.

Monte Pascoal is available in several sizes, as seen on their website.

The test draw was a bit firm. The first flavors were raw almonds. I gave the cigar some time to settle in.

About an inch in the ash was tight with alternating black and white ash. The cigar is still very much one of raw almonds. The cigar had earthy flavors; nuts and wood. The finish was one of almonds.

About 3 inches in the cigar made a change. There are now some light vanilla and cinnamon notes. The finish has light vanilla notes mixed with the almonds. The pepper is subtle but nice.

At almost the midpoint the vanilla developed a richness. This was a nice improvement. The vanilla took the lead in flavors followed by the cinnamon and then almonds.

Just past the midpoint the cigar has reached a new high. The vanilla has good richness followed by the cinnamon and almonds. The finish is long with a vanilla flavor. The pepper is still nice.

With about an inch left the cigar was still consistent. The cigar sums up with almond notes in the beginning transitioning to one of rich vanilla and cinnamon. The finish went from almonds in the beginning to a mix of vanilla and almonds. The pepper was nice on the draw and on the finish.

The cigar was nice but not exactly one that I typically reach for. I wish Monte Pascoal much luck with their venture into the U.S. market.

Score: 87