Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the La Gianna Havana Angelic Toro is medium tan and has a few lightly raised veins as well as a network of fine veins. The seams are pretty smooth and the caps are well applied. There is also a strip of much darker tobacco between the wrapper and the caps. The band is gold, red and white and denotes the brand. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of wood and light, dry earth while the foot brings wood and tobacco sweetness. The pre-light draw brings lightly musty, dry hay along with a not overly done sweetness that has been added to the cap.

First Third

The cigar begins with musty, toasted wood and light bitterness along with the mild sweetness from the cap. The retrohale is lightly musty toasted wood. At an inch and a quarter, there have been no changes to the profile other than the mild sweetness from the cap is no longer detectable. As the third comes to a close, the profile remains musty, toasted wood along with mild bitterness. The overall profile is a bit dry and the strength level is mild-medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the wood becomes more defined as cedar. At a half inch in, the toastiness increases a bit. The retrohale remains musty, toasted wood. At an inch and a half in, a burning paper note joins the profile. The strength in this third remained at mild-medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the profile is musty, toasted cedar along with some dry earth, light burning paper and bitterness. At a half inch in, the bitterness has increased a bit. The retrohale remains musty, toasted wood. At an inch and a quarter, the toast is now fairly heavy and the bitterness has increased a bit more. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly below medium.

Burn

The burn was perfect throughout and the ash held on in near two inch increments.

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The flavor profile was focused around musty, toasted wood, which later became more defined as cedar, dry earth, burning paper and bitterness. Construction was perfect. The La Gianna Havana Angelic Toro provided a pretty similar profile that I get from lower grade, sometimes bundle Connecticut Shade offerings. The bitterness and burning paper notes were definitely a detractor. The sweetened head only lasted a short time and may have helped if it was around longer. The price point is a bit high for what the experience was and I don’t see coming back to this cigar.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

4.68

Cost/Point

$1.92

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: La Gianna Havana Angelic Toro