This one of my favorite Connecticut’s, I usually buy them in the robusto size but lately I’ve been wanting a longer smoke time so I decided to go with the Toro which is a 6x52 size and I am so glad I did! The flavor is the same if not better! AJ Fernandez is a master blender and did an amazing job keeping the same flavor profile in a bigger, longer size. If you haven’t tried this cigar it’s a must!
Smooth flavor, but as you can see from pics the cigar started peeling, it was soft but burned very well.
TL;DR: Get past the first half inch and you’ll enjoy it a lot if you like creamy, nutty sticks. I first tried the Cameroon version of this cigar, and that one is amazing, so I was hoping this would be too. It’s starts off really well with a great feel and appearance. The stick was firm with just a touch of give to it. The band is similar, if not the same, as the Cameroon. The wrapper is a nice wheat color. It’s not too veiny, but the seam is very noticeable. I like that it has a foot band for protection as well. The cap is set deeply, but the cut of it seems like it could be better. All the same, the straight cut didn’t injure the cap, which was a good sign. The scents off the wrapper were cinnamon, coffee, and barnyard. The foot gave tobacco, hay, and coffee too. The draw isn’t too loose and has a decent amount of resistance. Light up went well and gave me notes of grass, creamed coffee, nutmeg, and white pepper immediately. The retrohale had notes of black pepper and graham cracker. Not wild about the grass note. I hoped it would turn to hay sooner than later. All the rest of the flavor notes mellowed out once into the first third. Foot smoke was borderline aromatic, but still held a little funk in it. Ash wasn’t flaky and held on till the end of each third. As the first third progressed, the creamy note came out more and more. Burn line wasn’t razor sharp, but it was close! Coming into the second third, the flavor notes were mostly creamy, peppery hay. The retrohale added a slight bit of vanilla and cumin to the taste and that might have been what I smelled in the foot smoke. Through the second third I also got cedar and almond, so the complexity of this cigar is much better than I initially expected. It was here that I really bought into how good of a smoke this stick was. The band came off nicely with the warmth of the burn and none of the wrapper came off with it. The final third brought even more flavor mellowing, but added the sweet tobacco flavor and some salt to the palate while increasing the pepper slightly. I noticed it sitting more at the back of my throat. The given held on through a bathroom break and didn’t require relighting. The finish throughout the entire cigar was a good medium length, and in the final third added a very slight floral note. Very pleasant ending, the tobacco taste didn’t ever completely take over, but it was the most pronounced flavor at about an inch left. I smoked mine down until I couldn’t hold it anymore (a little less than half an inch), and the aroma was very pleasant and aromatic as it went out. Strength was mild, flavor was medium across the entire stick. Of all the connecticuts I’ve smoked so far, it was probably in my top 10, maybe top five, which is high praise. I may have to do a back-to-back comparison to others in the future. Highly recommend this cigar.
This was the first AJ Fernandez blend that I wasn’t thrilled with. That’s not too say it was bad. Cigar was average for a mild Connecticut style. First third was not much going on very muted classic mild profile. Second third had some pepper come out to the forward and hint of earthiness in the back, and it stayed that way into the final third. Unfortunately into the final third it became somewhat acrid and lead to an early end.
Boring beginning, woody earthy slightly peppery middle, more of the same at the end but with an unpleasant charred taste.