Torano Master Habano Maduro
Tuesday, August 14th, 2012I recall liking the original Torano Master, so I figured I had nothing to loose with this version. From what I can tell, the two have little in common, not that I really care. I tend to enjoy that maduro sweetness and spice. As you’ve come to expect… read on for my thoughts.
Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano Maduro
Binder: Habano Ecuador
Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican
Size: Robusto 5 x 50
Price: $5.97
Pre-Smoke & Construction:
The wrapper looked oily, toothy, and well, delicious. I can only describe the smell as a mild hay, with a touch of earthiness. The foot basically had no odor at all. The cigar was consistently packed, and had a slight sponginess. This accounted for a draw that had no resistance. The pre-light flavor was mild, earthy, and cedary.
The burn required one correction. The ash was a little flakey, and held for just about one inch.
Flavor:
The first third started out with earthiness, and nothing more. It only took a few puffs for pepper to reveal itself on the retrohale. Espresso quickly joined in, and it lingered on the palate for awhile. The aftertaste was crisp, slightly bitter, earthy, and maybe a little woody.
That familiar maduro sweetness I was expecting, revealed itself in the second third. It was very noticeable, but it stood behind the espresso and peppery spice. The aftertaste was sweet and syrupy. Wispy notes of earthiness and wood were far in the background.
The last third saw a return of that crisp, dry smoke feel. Sweetness fell to the background, and was replaced with peppery spice and espresso. Some draws reminded me of coffee, but with a sweet mocha mixed in. The flavor profile switched between the two, if that makes any sense. Did I mention smoke volume? Throughout the entire cigar, it was plentiful.
Conclusion:
This was a good, solid, medium to full bodied cigar. I tried this same cigar in a larger ring gage, and it didn’t really satisfy me. The flavors seemed scattered and unfocused. This one was quite the opposite. Flavor, complexity, and construction, all came together nicely. Nothing bad to say here. I think the Torano Master Habano Maduro is worth trying.
