Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a marbled medium brown and has a network of slightly raised veins present. The seams are smooth but easily visible due to the wrapper color variations and the rounded belicoso head has a top cap that is slightly lifting. There are two bands with the primary being a diamond with the initials of the line in it with colors of silver and black. The foot band carries the line name fully spelled out with the same color combination. The texture and color of the bands are very nice. The aroma from the cigar is similar from the wrapper and the foot and that is of a jammy sweetness with some spice, which can be linked to some aromatic pipe tobaccos. The pre-light draw brings a very faint version of that same jammy sweetness and spice along with a mild spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust’s Todos Las Dias Double Wide Belicoso, true to it’s name, is a stout and fat cigar. The wrapper shade is of a copper red hue giving good oil content on the finger tips. Construction feels and looks good as there is a uniformed give, tight seams, well pressed veins and a thick cap. Aromas from the wrapper give rich cedar and dry barnyard. Aromas from the foot tell white pepper, smoked meats and cedar. Cold draw gives smoked meats, white pepper on the tip of the tongue and cedar.

First Third

The cigar begins with wood, cream and some Hot Tamale candy-like spicy cinnamon. At a quarter inch in, the intensity of the cinnamon has dropped back, but the wood and cream levels remain the same. The retrohale carries a very similar profile but not quite as full. At an inch in, the cream seems to be the pivot point for both the wood and the cinnamon notes. As the third comes to a close, the cream, wood and cinnamon have created a very nice mixture. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third’s profile consists of a weighty medium plus body with flavors of dry red pepper, red chili heat, cedar and a slight natural sweetness from dried nuts. Retrohaling further accentuates the red pepper and its accompanying heat as well as increased naturally sweetened dried nuts. The finish is a long lingering red pepper heat and cedar. Strength is medium-full.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the cinnamon fades back a bit, leaving the creamy wood up front. At a quarter inch in, the wood takes a slight lead over the cream and is more defined as oak while a mild cinnamon remains in the background. The retrohale is now just the lone oak note. At an inch in, the cream has left the profile and the oak is up front, with just a slight cinnamon note remaining in the background. As the third comes to a close, a slight cream returns to support the oak while a faint cinnamon remains in the background. The strength in this third bumped up to medium-full.

Second Third

For as heavy on the palate as the cigar is, the second third actually shows balance. The red pepper (and its associated heat) backs off such that naturally sweetened dried nuts, cedar and intermittent dark chocolate has a greater highlight. If I wanted the deeper spice and earth, I just need to give it a retrohale. The finish continues to cake the palate with a long, lingering (subdued) red pepper heat and cedar. Strength and body remains medium-full.

Final Third

As the final third begins, a musty note joins the oak and cream while the cinnamon has left the profile. The oak has also gained a slight char. At a quarter inch in, the char has increased quite a bit while the mustiness and cream are in the background. After a purge, the char settles back down and becomes even with the oak while the cream has left the profile. This is the profile the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third remained at medium-full.

Final Third

The last third continues to show the red pepper heat backing off (but not backing off so much that it is not a core flavor of the cigar). The cigar now tastes creamier and sweeter in the form of bread and dried nuts. The earthy component is namely on the finish, still comprised of the same subdued red pepper heat and cedar. Strength and body finishes medium-full.

Burn

The burn line was slightly wavy, but never needed any attention. The ash dropped once at the two inch mark and then held on the rest of the way.

Burn

Burn issues galore on this cigar. The wrapper had a difficult time burning throughout the entire smoking experience. Essentially every time I ashed the cigar, I had to give it a complete re-light. Other than that, the burn rate was incredibly slow, ashes held on strong with slight flowering and the burn temperature was cool.

Draw

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

Overall

The burst of cinnamon at the beginning was very nice and then mellowed to support the wood and cream. This was the profile for most of the cigar in varying ratios until the final third when it became very oak focused. Construction was very good and didn’t require any focus. In having reviewed the Toro as well, I find I enjoyed that vitola a bit more than this one. This is still a good size for the cigar, I just found the smaller ring gauge to present the flavors better. If you’re a fan of cinnamon, this is definitely a cigar to pick up, but be aware of the strength level which was medium-full most of the way. I would have no problem smoking more of these.

Draw

The ideal balance of resistance and air flow. Perfect.

Overall

I finally found the size of a Todos Las Dias I truly enjoy. Within the other formats, the profile was too heavy handed in spice, earth and strength. But the double wide belicoso fit a great balance between sweetness, spice, earth all delivered in a medium plus body. The burn was a let down as the re-lights weren’t expected and seemed quite contrary to Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust’s overall lines. The flavor is where the focus should be, so to that extent, I will be back for more.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.57

Cost/Point

$1.90

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.47

Cost/Point

$1.67

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Todos Las Dias Double Wide Belicoso