Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a medium tan/light brown with a few noticeable veins and almost invisible seams. The caps are applied nicely on this softly box pressed Toro. The black and silver primary band along with the black and copper secondary band look very nice in contrast with the wrapper color. The aroma from the wrapper is a light leather while the foot gives a raisin sweetness with some leather in the background. The pre-light draw brings a hefty dose of leather along with a slight pepper tingle to my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed Toro has a smooth Colorado red-esque wrapper. The box press is well executed providing a nice and easy hold. The cigar feels well bunched and rolled having an even, tight feel (with just the right amount of give), and well adhered triple cap. Further, the veins are neatly pressed and seams invisible. Pre-light wrapper aroma gives flowery perfume, deep white pepper spice, slight cedar and barnyard. Foot aroma gives pungent and sneezing white pepper spice, aged cedar and slight roasted nuttiness. Cold draw tells namely dry cardboard and lip tingling white pepper spice.

First Third

Initial light brings a spicy cedar that finishes with a mild cinnamon. The mild cinnamon is also present on the retrohale. After a few draws, the retrohale loses the cinnamon and becomes oaky. The mouth flavor also loses the cinnamon and remains a spicy cedar. About a half inch in, the cedar becomes less spicy. That spice seems to now have made its way into the retrohale to mix with the oak. About an inch in, the cedar transforms into oak and a fair amount of cream comes in to mix with it. At about an inch and a half, oak is the primary flavor in the mouth and retrohale. the cream is still there in the mouth as well. As the third comes to a close, a mild pepper comes in to mix with the oak and cream. There is also a bit of mustiness becoming present in the background and more noticeable on the retrohale. The strength in this third is slightly above medium.

First Third

The cigar starts off with a dry and earthy profile, delivering notes of refined graphite, palate drying black pepper spice, charred wood, slight bread/yeast and over-roasted/burnt nuts. Inch in, the flavor profile opens and intensifies, providing deeper and richer notes of the same refined graphite and same palate drying black pepper (but the pepper is creeping towards the back of my throat). There are a couple new flavors entering into the profile; baking spice and faint burnt sugar. On the retrohale, nose stinging black pepper, baking spice and faint bread. The finish consists of lingering charred wood, black pepper and baking spice. Both strength and body is at a medium.

Second Third

This third picks up where the last left off with oak and cream, but without the light pepper. The light mustiness, which is pleasant, also remains. About a quarter inch in, some char comes in to mix with the oak while the cream fades back. The mustiness also begins to increase. A little further in, the char goes away and the mustiness increases on the retrohale to mix in with the oak. The oak and mustiness really begin to mix well about three quarters of an inch in to this third. At the midway point, the flavors are becoming very full. Slightly charred oak and mustiness in the mouth and the retrohale is primarily musty with oak in the background. There also seems to be a significant increase in smoke output. About an inch and a half in, a little bit of pepper makes its way into the mouth and retrohale. Nearing the end of the third, a slight bit of mintiness comes into the retrohale. The strength in this third is medium full.

Second Third

Second thirds flavor profile is a continuation of the first thirds profile. Still notes of bread/yeast, dry black pepper spice creeping towards the back of my throat, over-roasted/burnt nuts, charred wood and refined graphite. On the retrohale, nose burning black pepper, baking spice and faint bread. The finish consists of namely black pepper, bread/yeast and baking spice. Certain aforementioned notes become more distinct throughout the second third in an intermittent fashion (namely bread/yeast, intensity of black pepper). Strength at the beginning of the second third escalates to a medium full to full, providing a fairly strong head buzz. Body stays a consistent medium.

Final Third

As this third begins, the oak and mustiness remain, but some earthiness begins to creep in. A quarter inch in, and some bitterness starts to mix in with the oak, mustiness and earth. At about the half way point, a very sharp spice takes over the profile. There is still some oak in the background. The retrohale also gets the spice and makes it a nasal burner. After a few draws, the spice settles down and the oak comes in about even with the spice. The retrohale also mellows out which makes it more pleasant. An inch and a quarter in, the spice has gone away and the oak is again the primary flavor. The cigar is a bit warm, so the sensation is a warm oak which is nice. The retrohale is also smooth with a creamy oak. The cigar finishes out this way for the remainder. The strength in this third was just above medium.

Final Third

Last thirds flavor profile begins with burnt caramel (as opposed to the burnt sugar in the first third), same black pepper but now on the front palate, creamy bread, baking spice and charred wood. There is also a saltiness especially realized on the lips, pairing with the over-roasted/burnt roasted nuts. Towards the middle of the last third, the profile becomes less complex, giving mainly charred wood and lingering black pepper spice on the front palate. On the retrohale, same stinging black pepper spice. The finish consisting of a lingering charred wood. Strength and body continues to be medium full/full and medium, respectively.

Burn

The burn got off quite a bit in the first third and I needed to do a touch-up to get it back on track. It was a little wavy in the second third, but was always able to catch itself back up. The final third burned very straight. The ash held on in inch plus increments.

Burn

The cigar gave thick and voluminous smoke production. The burn was uneven at all times but all parts of the leaves burned through with no issues. The ash although fairly sturdy, tapped off by itself in one inch marks often times falling on my lap.

Draw

The draw was a little loose through the first half inch, but after that, it tightened up to the level I like and was good the rest of the way.

Overall

The flavors were a bit fragmented for the first half of the first third and then melded well. The second third was very full on flavor and was the best representation of the blend. The final third then had some big swings but was still enjoyable. The performance was pretty good as well. The cigar was enjoyable and kept my attention. I would probably recommend this cigar to a more experienced smoker due to the strength and body levels. I would also say it’s more of a mid day/evening smoke for the same reasons. This would pair well with coffee or spirits that can stand up to the strength and body.

Draw

The draw was on point. Just the right amount of resistance to taste all of the nuances.

Overall

I benchmarked this cigar to two other Davidoff cigars, the original Davidoff Nicaragua Toro and Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed Robusto. Granted, the original Davidoff Nicaragua Toro is a different blend than the box pressed version, I couldn’t help but to compare the two to see which one was better. I felt this version was both lacking in depth of flavors and at times was too much of a gut punch in terms of pepper and strength. I still think Davidoff has executed in providing complex and nuanced flavors (which is what I have come to expect from Davidoff) but this one falls short to the original Nicaragua Toro. But still worthy of picking up a few to try.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

7.20

Cost/Point

$2.39

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.60

Cost/Point

$2.61

Scoring System