Pre-light Experience

The wrapper has a dull, light brown color to it. There are a couple of veins present but they are smooth. The seams are easily visible due to the light color of the wrapper while the head is finished off with a well applied double cap. The band is the traditional company design and this line has a primarily black color to it. The aroma from the wrapper and foot are dominated by hay while the wrapper carries some additional graham cracker notes and the foot adds some stone fruit sweetness. The pre-light draw brings a mix of leather and hay with a mild spicy tingle on my lips.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mix of light wood and a strong black pepper. By a half inch in, the black pepper has settled down to become even with the wood. At an inch in, a slight creamy note joins the mix of wood and black pepper to smooth the profile out a bit more. The retrohale provides a slightly toasted wood note. At an inch and a quarter, the pepper has become very faint. As the third comes to a close, the wood, now more defined as oak, is up front with a cream supporting note and a very faint black pepper note. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the cream becomes even with the oak while there is still a faint black pepper in the background. At a half inch in, a slight bitterness joins the profile. At an inch in, the oak has gained a toasted note while the cream has reduced a bit and there is still a slight bitterness present. As the third comes to a close, the cream has continued to wane so the toasted wood is the primary player. The strength in this third remained at medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the cream has completely left the profile and the toasted wood with a slight bitterness is what remains. At a half inch in, a slight cream returns to the profile. At an inch in, the cream drops back out and the profile is again toasted wood and a slight bitterness. The retrohale is a slightly warm oak. This is the profile the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Burn

The burn line was perfect at times and wavy at others. I did have to do one re-light in the final third. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Draw

The draw was perfect through the first two thirds and then tightened up in the final third.

Overall

The first third had a nice complexity with a short punch of strength at the beginning. From the second third on, things became fairly average. The performance was fairly good with a slight burn issue towards the end. If the cigar could have kept the profile from the first third throughout, this would have been a pretty good traditional Connecticut shade profile. As it sits, this is a cigar I’d smoke if it was handed to me, but I probably wouldn’t chase down more to smoke.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.73

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Island Lifestyle Aged Reserve Series Connecticut Toro