Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown with a bit of Colorado red. There are a few raised veins and the seams are very smooth and nearly invisible. The head appears to be finished off with a nice double cap. The band is very nice with a bluish-green background and gold lettering and borders. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of hay and slight raisin sweetness. The foot brings hay along with a slight black licorice. The pre-light draw brings a heavy dose of sweet hay along with a faint leather.

Pre-light Experience

The Drew Estate FSG Toro has a Colorado Maduro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll is uniformly firm and the head is finished off with a well applied, thick double cap. Aromas off the wrapper give rich cedar. Aromas off the foot tell Florida orange juice (just kidding), cedar, rich roasted and creamy nuttiness. Cold draw tells hay and cedar.

First Third

The profile begins with a creamy pine note which is pretty nice. At a quarter inch in, some earthiness joins with the creamy pine. At three quarters of an inch in, the pine transitions to oak, but is still creamy and the earth remains. The retrohale is very earthy with some cream in the background. At an inch in, a citrus note joins in which is very much like the white fleshy part of the orange peel where it’s airy but carries a bit of the citrus sweetness and bite. The third finishes out with this same profile and the retrohale is still earth dominant with some cream. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

The first third captures a profile that has light black pepper, hay, dry nuts and aged cedar. Retrohaling is very tasty, providing elevated levels of black pepper, dry nuts as well as a citrus note. The finish gives a lingering soft black pepper spice and faint earthy bitterness. Strength and body is both medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the earthiness ramps up to become even with the oak while the creaminess and citrus note are in the background. At a half inch in, the cream drops from the profile and it is now oak and earth up front with some citrus in the background. The retrohale has also lost the cream and it is earth with a slight bit of the citrus note. At an inch in, some of the cream rejoins the profile. At an inch and a half, the cream increases a bit more as the citrus note is now very faint. As the third comes to a close, the retrohale has gained the cream back and is primarily earthiness with a slight bit of the citrus note. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Second Third

Not a whole lot has changed since the beginning third. The profile is still a medium bodied and strength delivery of light black pepper, hay, dry nuts and aged cigar. The only changes are the earth bitterness, which now has the effect of tannins especially noticeable on the edges of my tongue and an introduction of dry red chili heat lingering on the palate.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the earthiness has taken the lead over the oak. The cream is still present, but the citrus note is now hard to find. At a half inch in, the cream and citrus have completely left the profile and the earth is still up front with the oak not far behind. At an inch in, the citrus comes back as a decent spicy note to mix with the earth and wood. This is how the cigar finishes out. The strength in this third remained at slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last third stays its course. Profile still is soft black pepper, hay, dry nuts and aged cedar with a finish providing dry red chili heat and tannins on the palate. Strength and body shows no changes as it is still medium.

Burn

If you were driving through my neighborhood, you’d be hard pressed not to think I was burning a pile of leaves in my backyard with the amount of smoke this cigar produced. The burn line was a bit wavy throughout but never needed any attention. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Burn

Burn performance was nothing short of perfection. Tight ashes, cool and slow burn, insane smoke production and fairly even burn with no use for re-lights or touch-ups.

Draw

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

Overall

I think this cigar is going to be a bit polarizing with some people really liking it and others not liking it, but not sure many people will fall in the middle. I fall on the side of really liking it. The flavor profile is quite interesting with the wood notes and heavy earthiness along with the unique citrus note. Construction was excellent and this cigar just poured out smoke. The FSG tobacco project is very interesting and with smoking this cigar, and other vitolas, has me very interested in trying some of the other brands/lines that use this tobacco. I highly recommend getting one to see if the flavors are ones you enjoy as it may open up a new range of cigars for you to try.

Draw

Striking the perfect balance between air flow and resistance, the draw was top notch.

Overall

I find the Drew Estate FSG Toro to be on the less bolder side of Drew Estate. The flavors held together well giving namely a non-spice forward delivery of flavors on the mouth draws with a nice layered dry red chili heat and tannins to wrap up on the finish. I’m unsure how the Florida grown corojo adds to the profile (perhaps the spiced finished), but I’m not too concerned about it as the overall presented flavor delivery worked well.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

7.07

Cost/Point

$1.84

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$1.81

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Drew Estate FSG Toro