Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is milk chocolate brown with some color variations throughout. There are a few slightly raised veins present and the seams are very hard to detect. The head is finished off with a well applied single cap. The band is primarily black with white lettering signifying the line and brand along with some red borders and additional text in red. The aroma from the wrapper and foot are both very much a Mounds bar with the distinct chocolate and coconut combination. The pre-light draw brings a faint version of the same chocolate and coconut along with some sweetness on my tongue that I’m assuming is applied to the wrapper.

First Third

The cigar begins with a very light wood/burning paper along with a creamy feeling smoke output. At a half inch in, the profile becomes marginally fuller and I gets hints of the synthetic sweetness on random draws. At an inch and a quarter, the synthetic sweetness is very subtle but now detectable on each draw. The retrohale carries the same profile but without the sweetness. The strength level in this third was just mild.

Second Third

As the second third begins, it’s very much the same as before with a very light wood/burning paper along with a bit of creaminess and subtle synthetic sweetness. At a half inch in, the wood note becomes a bit fuller as it gains a slight char while the subtle synthetic sweetness is still present. At an inch and a quarter, a mild coffee note joins in. The retrohale now consists of light wood and some of the subtle synthetic sweetness. As the third comes to a close, the profile is primarily wood with some creamy coffee and synthetic sweetness in the background. The strength in this third bumped up to mild-medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the wood note reduces to become even with the creamy coffee note. At a half inch in, some char rejoins the profile and the wood gets back into the lead. At an inch in, the creamy coffee and subtle sweetness drop out of the profile and it is just a light charred wood. As the cigar comes to a close, the charred wood becomes fuller. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly below medium.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy at times but never needed any attention. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Draw

The draw was slightly looser than I prefer but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The pre-light aroma of the cigar is fantastic and virtually none of that carries over to the smoking experience aside from a subtle creamy coffee note at times. Construction was very good and required no attention. With the strength level so low, this will easily be approachable to smokers that typically gravitate to infused cigars. While the M by Macanudo Toro won’t appeal to traditional premium cigar smokers, it definitely could to those that like the flavored stuff. If this cigar provided more of the advertised flavor in the smoking experience, I could see going back to it, but with the profile I experienced, I don’t have any interest in revisiting it.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.15

Cost/Point

$1.55

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: M by Macanudo Toro