Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is dark brown with some splotchy lighter spots. There are a few slightly raised veins present while the seams are smooth but easily visible. The head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. There are two bands, the first being the traditional band for this brand and then a secondary strip band in red, gold and black that designates the PLM Series. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of damp wood and very full stone fruit sweetness. The foot brings wood and a fair amount of tobacco sweetness. The pre-light draw is mostly leather with a subtle tobacco sweetness and mild white pepper.

Pre-light Experience

The David P. Ehrlich PLM Series Toro has a yellow and gold main band, accented by red and black. It also features a secondary red, gold and black band indicating PLM series. The cigar itself has a dark chocolate wrapper, and the aromas on the wrapper are spicy cedar, with faint cocoa, and leather. In the foot, I’m able to pick up sweet raisin, and tobacco notes.

Pre-light Experience

The David P. Ehrlich PLM Series Toro has a Colorado Maduro wrapper shade off it’s Mexican San Andres wrapper. Veins are well pressed, seams are tight, bunch and roll even. Wrapper aromas consist of wet earth, barnyard and cedar. Aromas from the foot give rich white pepper spice and cedar. Cold draw tells cedar and white pepper on the lips.

First Third

The cigar begins with a very tasty combination of wood and cinnamon where the two flavors are very intermingled. At a half inch in, some cream joins the profile as the cinnamon morphs into black pepper and creates a nice combination with the wood. At an inch in, a subtle stone fruit sweetness is present in the background. The retrohale carries musty wood with a light baking spice. As the third comes to a close, some mustiness joins the profile and is what binds the wood and black pepper together as the cream and subtle sweetness have faded away. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

The PLM Series starts with sweet cedar, and then a delayed cedar on the post draw. The retrohale has complex, tiered spices and finishes with a trailing bitter cedar. As the cigar progresses, the spices on the retrohale continue to intensify, building to medium and above. As the first third settles in, cocoa joins in on the retrohale, and the post draw cedar takes on a sour citrus. By the halfway point, post draw leather has mixed in with the citrus woody post draw flavors. The retrohale consists of a creamy cocoa, with spices and trailing citrus.

First Third

The first third’s flavor profile is one that is primarily earth and minerals driven. Leather, soil/dirt and minerals are the main notes. Encompassing this is a nice citrus, which helps to break up the earthiness. Retrohaling brings out the citrus note, in addition to mixed nuts. The finish is medium length with leather and soil/dirt. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the wood gains some char and is up front while the mustiness and black pepper are not far behind. At a half inch in, the black pepper is now very faint while the charred wood and mustiness are up front. At an inch in, the profile becomes a bit chalky as the char leaves the wood. The retrohale is a very similar profile. As the third comes to a close, the chalkiness wavers in how much it effects the profile while the wood and mustiness remain constant. There is a mild baking spice that has re-joined in the background. The strength in this third remained at medium.

Second Third

As the cigar transitions into the middle third, some hints of pepper starts playing in the post draw. The main profile is now sweet cedar, as the cocoa, citrus and spices fall in intensity. Once the second third has established itself, the cocoa comes roaring back, almost completely taking over the post draw palate. At the bottom half of the second third, the spices return, and the overall strength of the cigar starts setting in.

Second Third

The second third’s flavor profile slightly softens the earth and minerals. The notes are still there but it melds better by creating a generic creaminess to the profile.

Final Third

As the final third begins, some char returns to the wood while the chalky and musty notes are slightly behind. At a half inch in, the chalky and musty notes are even with the wood as the char has dropped out again. At an inch in, the cigar warms up a bit and some mintiness knocks out the chalkiness while the wood and mustiness remain. The retrohale provides a musty wood note. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Final Third

The final third starts with toasted cedar. As the last third settles in, the spices on the retrohale have returned to medium strength, and continue for the remainder of the smoking experience.

Final Third

The main change from second to last third is the strength moving from medium to medium-full (body still medium). Other than that, the flavor profile is still the same. Notes of a generic creamed sweetness, leather, soil/dirt and minerals.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy but never needed any attention. The ash held on in inch and a half increments,

Burn

The burn was razor sharp at the beginning, canoed slightly at the halfway point, and then corrected. The burn was great for the remainder of the smoking experience. The ash held on in 1.5 inch increments.

Burn

Burn performance was overall very good. The only let down was some flakiness in ash as well as a minor touch-up. The positives are cool burn, pretty sharp burn and long ashes (1.5 inch increments).

Draw

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

Overall

The cigar started out quite well with a combination of wood and cinnamon that was fantastic. Unfortunately, that didn’t last long as the cinnamon morphed into a black pepper and some cream and later mustiness joined in. The profile became fairly chalky in the second third and then was wood and musty focused in the final third. Construction was very good and never required any attention. Overall, the cigar was fairly average with a nice first third. That isn’t enough to keep me coming back to a cigar, so it probably isn’t something I would frequently return to.

Draw

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

Overall

We had the great fortunate of trying these in Las Vegas, which was my first time smoking them. I’m happy to report that smoking the David P. Ehrlich PLM Series Toro in a review environment resulted in the same enjoyable experience. The cigar has a lot of complexity throughout, and although it does come in just under medium-full in strength, I never found it too aggressive.

Draw

The draw was a bit too tight. Not so bad that it was an annoyance, but a consistent reminder.

Overall

Overall, I enjoyed the David P. Ehrlich PLM Series Toro. At times, the profile became a bit too earth driven with its dirt/soil, leather and mineral notes. But, there was enough cream and citrus to not make it overly earth dominant. I recommend this to someone that enjoys a heavier profile.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.85

Cost/Point

$1.91

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

7.07

Cost/Point

$1.58

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.77

Cost/Point

$1.66

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: David P. Ehrlich PLM Series Toro