Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown and has a couple of slightly raised veins running down opposite sides of the cigar. The seams are smooth and barely visible while the head is finished off with a deep double cap. The band is the standard Island Lifestyle design with the palm tree and beach. The primary color of the band is orange which denotes the Sun Grown line. The aroma from the wrapper is a very nice stone fruit sweetness while the foot brings a mix of hay and raisin. The pre-light draw brings the mix of hay and raisin as well, except for a little heavier on the hay.

Pre-light Experience

The Island Lifestyle Aged Reserve Series Sun Grown Toro has a medium brown and hearty Nicaraguan sun grown wrapper. Major veins are well pressed, seams tight, even give and a thick double cap makes up for a good looking cigar. Nosing the wrapper tells cedar, hay and dry barnyard. Nosing the foot gives white pepper and dry wood. Cold draw gives cedar, hay and dry nuts.

First Third

As the cigar starts out, it brings full flavors right out of the gate with creamy wood and baking spices. At a quarter inch in, the cream increases a bit to smooth out some of the baking spice bite. The retrohale carries quite a bit of baking spice that gives a just bearable burn. At an inch in, the wood, cream and baking spice are all at equal levels and the mix is pretty nice. At an inch and a quarter, the retrohale has settled down some and the same core flavors from the mouth draw are present here, but the baking spice is more prominent but isn’t as punishing as earlier. This is the profile the cigar maintains through the end of the third. The strength was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third does a good job of touching virtually every aspect of a good tasting cigar. There’s natural sweetness (dry nuts), earthiness (dry wood, dried nuts, wood bitterness) and spice (black pepper). Retrohaling brings a bigger pop in black pepper, dry nuts and some citrus. The finish is fairly long with dry wood and black pepper on the rear palate. Strength and body is for the most part medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the wood has moved up front while the cream and baking spices are in a slightly lower tier. At a quarter inch in, the cream evens out with the wood again while the baking spice is becoming fainter. At an inch in, the wood, now more defined as oak has taken the lead and the baking spice is still very faint. The retrohale is now primarily a creamy oak and much smoother than it was earlier. As the third comes to a close, some black pepper joins with the oak while the cream is a nice supporting note. The strength in this third remains at slightly above medium.

Second Third

The second third becomes more earth forward having dry wood, dried nuts and wood bitterness shine more so than the natural sweetness of dried nuts. Further, a nice baking spice joins the black pepper spice. Retrohaling gives elevated notes of black pepper and dried nuts, but loses out on the citrus note. The finish is still a lingering dry wood and black pepper on the rear palate. Strength and body still for the most part medium.

Final Third

Getting into the final third, the profile is now just a creamy oak. At a quarter inch in, a slight wood bitterness joins in with the creamy oak. At an inch in, the bitterness that was there previously is now trivial while the creamy oak note is still present. The retrohale carries the same creamy oak note. The cigar maintained this profile the rest of the way. The strength in this third continued on at slightly above medium.

Final Third

Aside from the pesky burn (which I will get to later), the last third is my favorite part of the cigar. The cigar transitions into a namely naturally sweet and creamy dried nuts profile with a baking spice backing. This also carries forward to the finish. The retrohale is still black pepper and dried nuts focused. Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn line was slightly wavy but always kept up with itself. The ash held on in one inch increments.

Burn

Two major re-lights was the culprit of the burn. Aside from that, the cigar burned slow and cool the entire time with fairly sturdy ashes averaging 1.5 inches. .

Draw

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

Overall

The cigar started with a blast of flavor and then settled into a nice profile of creamy oak and baking spices and maintained that through the first two thirds. It became less complex in the final third with just a creamy oak note. Construction was really good and the strength level maintained itself at slightly above medium the whole way. This is a nice, flavorful cigar that allows you to just focus on those flavors. I’m very interested in trying the other lines now and would say this is one I’ll gladly smoke more of and something worthwhile to check out to see if you agree.

Draw

A tad tight for my liking but no real complaints here.

Overall

The lack of disclosure on the cigar (tobacco, factory, blender) compounded by never having anything from Island Lifestyle is always a fun combination when it comes to reviews. In regards to the Island Lifestyle Aged Reserve Series Sun Grown Toro, it is a good tasting cigar and thus a winner. It’s not a cigar that will wow you nor disappoint you. It’s just good. Have no hesitations on picking some of these up.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$1.48

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$1.48

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Island Lifestyle Aged Reserve Series Sun Grown Toro