Pre-light Experience

The cigar has a Colorado claro wrapper shade with a very fine grit sandpaper like feel. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll slightly lumpy but overall with a nice give and head finished off with a well wrapped cap. Aromas from the wrapper give a pungent wet barnyard, funky cheese and cedar. Aromas from the foot tell the same since the foot is enclosed. Cold draw gives creamy nuttiness and subtle dry red pepper spice.

First Third

The first third opens with a good balance of spice, earth and sweetness. Soft/white notes of abundant buttered bread, dried nuts, hay, mixed with a palate coating dry red pepper spice and cedar. The spice is nearly endless, lingering on the palate for minutes on end. Retrohaling brings the dry red pepper spice front and center, really waking up the sinuses. Strength by the end of the initial inch is medium-full and body is medium.

Second Third

The second third is basically a carbon copy of the first third. Still medium plus strength and medium bodied. First tier flavors of dry red pepper spice and cedar, with following white notes of buttered bread, dried nuts and hay.

Final Third

The final third is essentially a carbon copy of the second third but with a minute increase in sugar cane sweetness. Still medium plus strength and medium body with flavors of dry red pepper spice and cedar, with following white notes of buttered bread, dried nuts and hay.

Burn

Excellent burn. Even burn line, ample smoke production and solid ash marks.

Draw

Flawless draw given the perfect amount of air flow and resistance.

Overall

It’s been years since I did a proper blind review. I honestly miss it and feel like it is the best methodology to review a cigar (given the DP scoring method of course). So when fellow BOTL “Greek Baldy” Nick Bardis asked if I was up for it, I happily obliged. This cigar had the core main flavors that make up a good cigar. Sweetness, spice, wood and earth. The flavors themselves were good, but as a whole lacked harmony. Whoever blended this likes a heavier dose of strength and spice, even at times tipping the balance of sweetness and spice. The final third did get a bit monotonous as it was essentially carbon copies of the previous two thirds. With all that said, I’d smoke more.

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.61

Scoring System

Personal Blind Cigar Review: Flor de Cesar Toro Largo