Carlos Toraño Signature Series Toro
Appearance 12/15 This is dark cigar which is slightly toothy showing a few veins and the smallest of small goosebumps. It appears to be well constructed as it is firm in the hand. The cap is well constructed as is did not crack when I punched it with my dull puncher. The coloring is consistent and in general, it is a handsome cigar. I am especially fond of the toro size anyhow. However, if you were to look at this without the band you wouldnt think it to be anything extraordinary.
Ash 9/10 This cigar held its ash well. I smoked it while driving so to avoid the ashed all over the car problem, I knocked off the ash after about 1 ½ by cracking the window and holding it out. I still had to give it a firm tap to get it to drop, which tells me this cigar would have held its ash firm for at least 2 ½, maybe more. The color was difficult to determine as it was still quite dark for 6:30 in the am. I did turn the dome light on to check for flaking and I saw none.
Draw 8/10 I used a punch. The draw was somewhat firm but no so much so that it made my cheeks decompress like an older woman who has been smoking ultra-light filtered cigarettes all her life. You know the kind the ones who have to really take a tug at that cigarette just to get a hit, mostly because theyre lungs are tired but also because theyre smoking through a 4 filter. I had no trouble getting smoke.
Burn 10/10 The lighting process on this one gave me some trouble. I always match light my cigars and this one took 8 matches. I burn 2 at a time and most normal sized cigars take 6. On top of that, I was driving. I can only imagine what the truck drivers thought seeing a pickup truck barreling past them at 80 mph on all sides of the road with the flame from my matches lighting up the interior Regardless, I didnt think this one was going to burn well, but I was wrong. It burned very evenly, probably somewhat due in part to my expert car smoking ability. I believe I mastered the art of controlling the effects of window draft on how a cigar burns. Anyhow, it tried to run a little as it crossed into the final third, but it corrected itself right away to return to that perfectly round burn. But again, for smoking this in a car with a window cracked, this one burned extremely well.
Smoke 8/10 Again, it was dark, so colors werent an option, but I presume it was beautiful as the clouds I was blowing were impressive.
Flavor 18/20 I picked up some interesting flavors in this one. The pre-light flavor was very interesting. It was a complex sweetness, not like sugar, but like a smorgasboard of fruits. I was excited about this before I ever lit it. Once it got going, it took on an impressive cherry flavor. To the nose you could smell what was almost like a Cavendish pipe tobacco smell, which made it very unique. On the finish was a bit of chocolate, so the combination of the Cavendish nose, the cherry flavor and the chocolate finish, I come up with the chocolate covered cherries, but in the form of a cigar. Really, the flavors werent so bold as to be just like chocolate covered cherries. There was still the leather youre going to get with a dark cigar like that, but it wasnt as pronounce as you might get in others. What I kept noticing was that Cavendish flavor that I like. I smoke a pipe on occasion and I love blends with Cavendish. If I didnt know better, Id have sworn they put a ribbon of Cavendish in the filler. It was also somewhat creamy. I did purge it with about 2 inches left and it renewed all the original flavors.
Uniqueness 10/10 I believe Ive already explained myself on this one.
Finish 14/15 This had a perfect finish, not overbearing or lingering too long and the chocolate and cherry taste were great.
Total 89 (but I really think it was more like a 90 or even 91.)
ALl in all it gets 2 thumgs up :grinFU:
Appearance 12/15 This is dark cigar which is slightly toothy showing a few veins and the smallest of small goosebumps. It appears to be well constructed as it is firm in the hand. The cap is well constructed as is did not crack when I punched it with my dull puncher. The coloring is consistent and in general, it is a handsome cigar. I am especially fond of the toro size anyhow. However, if you were to look at this without the band you wouldnt think it to be anything extraordinary.
Ash 9/10 This cigar held its ash well. I smoked it while driving so to avoid the ashed all over the car problem, I knocked off the ash after about 1 ½ by cracking the window and holding it out. I still had to give it a firm tap to get it to drop, which tells me this cigar would have held its ash firm for at least 2 ½, maybe more. The color was difficult to determine as it was still quite dark for 6:30 in the am. I did turn the dome light on to check for flaking and I saw none.
Draw 8/10 I used a punch. The draw was somewhat firm but no so much so that it made my cheeks decompress like an older woman who has been smoking ultra-light filtered cigarettes all her life. You know the kind the ones who have to really take a tug at that cigarette just to get a hit, mostly because theyre lungs are tired but also because theyre smoking through a 4 filter. I had no trouble getting smoke.
Burn 10/10 The lighting process on this one gave me some trouble. I always match light my cigars and this one took 8 matches. I burn 2 at a time and most normal sized cigars take 6. On top of that, I was driving. I can only imagine what the truck drivers thought seeing a pickup truck barreling past them at 80 mph on all sides of the road with the flame from my matches lighting up the interior Regardless, I didnt think this one was going to burn well, but I was wrong. It burned very evenly, probably somewhat due in part to my expert car smoking ability. I believe I mastered the art of controlling the effects of window draft on how a cigar burns. Anyhow, it tried to run a little as it crossed into the final third, but it corrected itself right away to return to that perfectly round burn. But again, for smoking this in a car with a window cracked, this one burned extremely well.
Smoke 8/10 Again, it was dark, so colors werent an option, but I presume it was beautiful as the clouds I was blowing were impressive.
Flavor 18/20 I picked up some interesting flavors in this one. The pre-light flavor was very interesting. It was a complex sweetness, not like sugar, but like a smorgasboard of fruits. I was excited about this before I ever lit it. Once it got going, it took on an impressive cherry flavor. To the nose you could smell what was almost like a Cavendish pipe tobacco smell, which made it very unique. On the finish was a bit of chocolate, so the combination of the Cavendish nose, the cherry flavor and the chocolate finish, I come up with the chocolate covered cherries, but in the form of a cigar. Really, the flavors werent so bold as to be just like chocolate covered cherries. There was still the leather youre going to get with a dark cigar like that, but it wasnt as pronounce as you might get in others. What I kept noticing was that Cavendish flavor that I like. I smoke a pipe on occasion and I love blends with Cavendish. If I didnt know better, Id have sworn they put a ribbon of Cavendish in the filler. It was also somewhat creamy. I did purge it with about 2 inches left and it renewed all the original flavors.
Uniqueness 10/10 I believe Ive already explained myself on this one.
Finish 14/15 This had a perfect finish, not overbearing or lingering too long and the chocolate and cherry taste were great.
Total 89 (but I really think it was more like a 90 or even 91.)
ALl in all it gets 2 thumgs up :grinFU:
