Yay for my first formal review!
First impressions:
This is a gorgeous looking cigar. I adore the darker shades and this beauty was mottled and somewhat glossy finished. She was firm all the way through but not heavy. She did have a few veins that ran along the length, but only mediocre in size and I was way to busy noticing her beautiful shading and luster.
Running my nose along the length there was a lovely sweet smell that I couldn’t quite place. When I smelled the foot, I was transported to being surrounded by an orchard of apples as I experienced as a young girl. Subtle spices were there, but that apple smell was AMAZING! Pre-light pull was very mild and fruity. I had hoped for apples…
First Third:
When I had pulled on the cigar cold I was disappointed that I didn’t detect apples per say, but as I was toasting the foot… Apples kept teasing me. I was just getting a hint at the complexity this lovely cigar had to offer. My first pull was smooth and sweet. Immediately that fruity barely apple flavor hit my tongue. With the release, nuts were introduced only to be finished on a milk chocolate note. About a half inch in the apples faded, unfortunately never to return, and the chocolate mellowed to allow the middle flavors of toasted nuts and creams to shine transitioning me into the second third.
Second Third:
While the spice remained imbedded and tingly in my nose, the middle cream note faded to be replaced with heavier chocolates and one of my favorite flavors surfaced… LEATHER! Every time I experience leather to this level, I swear I hear the leather creak and feet the hoof beats of my horse beneath me. During this stage I missed the previous third’s apples and each flavor left a little piece missing to the next. Teasing me with a note quite finished feeling… Although during this period, I really enjoyed how the sweet smoke left such a clean palate so that the light tingling in my nose and along my throat could thoroughly be enjoyed. I really began to picked up my pace smoking here, wanting more each time, building a suspense I didn’t understand until I hit the final third.
Third Third:
This is where this cigar matured into a full flavored woman. Rich chocolates, the middle note a fulfilling leather blending with delicious robust toasts. All the while, the spice crept further into my nose and remained on my tongue well after the smoke was clear. This cigar became a cougar and I did not put her down until she has nothing left to give.
Misc:
At the three-quarter mark my lovely little Tater kitty knocked my ash off and there went the nearly perfect burn line. The ash though relatively tight, it did flake throughout and was a very dark gray that nearly blended into the darkness of the cigar itself. (Not nearly as gorgeous as Patrick’s ash in Russia!) For the duration of the cigar the burn became uneven only to return to even and back again to uneven.
Overall:
What a fantastic experience. I was lured into her with a sweet orchard but could only claim satisfaction from her to maturation into that full bodied and well rounded complexity I adore. This cigar was such a tease and I well enjoyed looking for more from her. I would like to experience this Torano again.. And again
I so do hope you enjoyed my experience…
@Patrick - love bug!!
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