This is my first review, so reader beware…(sorry, no pics – wasn’t expecting to do a review)
While visiting my parents in Florida over the holidays I was gifted two La Tradicion Cubana Torpedo by a friend of the family. They’ve been resting in my humidor for the last 6 weeks or so and the opportunity came today to take one for a test drive. Since I didn’t see a review of this brand on here I thought I’d do one in hindsight.
Sunday morning. The wife was away for the weekend and the thermometer was almost to the 70 degree mark, so I told the kids to put away the wii remotes – we were taking a walk. In retrospect, I should’ve just let them be and taken my cigar and coffee to the deck and enjoyed the fine morning with the Sunday paper, but I didn’t. Oh well.
The construction on this cigar was excellent. It feels a little light for it’s size so I clipped the torpedo head a little shallower than I normally would expecting a loose draw. The pre-light aroma was of tobacco, cedar, and a slight (straw) barnyard smell. The draw was just on the loose side of perfect.
It may have been an imperfect light, or it may have been due to walking in a pretty stiff breeze, but I had issues with an uneven burn for the first third to half of this smoke. I had to touch it up a couple of times to correct it. The cigar actually went out at one point when I met up with a neighbor and got caught in a longer conversation than I wanted. After re-lighting it burned true the rest of the way. Because I wasn’t totally focused on it I’m not sure if it smoked as quickly as it felt like, but it left me wishing there were more. I nubbed it as far as I could. It never got bitter or harsh.
I wouldn’t describe this cigar as complex, but it had plenty of strength and just the right amount of spice for my liking. I haven’t smoked many CC’s, but this one reminded me of a Bolivar Royal Corona. I suspect from the shape and size that this is by design to replicate the experience of a Belicoso Fino.
I will be sure to save the next one for a more conducive environment, but my initial opinion is that, although a little one dimensional, this is an overall great smoke. Considering it costs under $4 it’s also an exceptional value. I’m not an everyday smoker, but I could easily see these being my ‘everyday’ smoke. It would be right at home on a golf course.
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LTC is one of the best kept secrets out there. I love the aroma this cigar puts out -- cedary, almost like sandalwood at times. It goes downhill pretty quickly after the first two-thirds, but the price point makes up for that. I need to lay in another box soon. Thanks for the review!
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