Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is very dark brown with some decently sized raised veins present. The seams are slightly raised while the head is finished off with a wrinkled top cap. The band is black and white and has the line name on it. The band is easily flipped around to show the same design in reversed colors which makes the same band usable on the two variations of the line. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of damp wood and dark stone fruit, bordering on an aromatic pipe tobacco. The foot brings wood without the dampness and a lighter stone fruit sweetness. The pre-light draw brings a mix of hay and stone fruit sweetness while there is a mild spiciness present on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Jas Sum Kral Toothpicks 2.0 Mexican San Andrés has a mirrored black and white band. The wrapper is dark brown with some scattered water spots. The aroma on the cigar is strong leather, sweet tobacco, leather and hay. In the foot, I get a medium strength barnyard.

Pre-light Experience

The Jas Sum Kral Toothpicks 2.0 Mexican San Andrés has a rustic maduro wrapper shade. Construction and feel is spot on as veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and head finished off with a deep wrapped cap. Aromas from the wrapper give baking spices and cedar. Aromas from the foot tell rich cedar and dry red pepper spice. Cold draw gives namely soft wood and hay.

First Third

The cigar begins with dark wood, a mild black pepper and some subtle sweetness. At a half inch in, the black pepper fades away as the wood becomes less dark. The retrohale carries some creamy wood with a bit of baking spice. At an inch in, some mustiness has joined the wood and the profile is slightly drying. There are times where on the finish of the draws I’m sensing a bit of a metallic note. The third finishes out with this same profile. The strength was slightly below medium.

First Third

The first third begins with sweet cocoa, and light earthiness. As each draw finishes, there is post draw cedar that gives way to sweetness, and mild lingering pepper. The retrohale includes mild spices, with some vegetal notes hiding underneath. As the first third settles in, some light post draw leather joins the profile. At this stage I would describe the strength of all of the flavors at light plus. The sweetness and cocoa on the retrohale reach an ideal balance at this point. Post draw cocoa has joined in and built up to a medium strength level. The nicotine strength of this cigar starts to hit me before the first third is even finished.

First Third

The first third has undeniably a full body of cream/butter. Encompassing the heavy cream/butter is milk chocolate and a very unique and almost synthetic milk candy characteristic. Retrohaling brings spice in the way of cedar and white/black pepper. The finish is all about the full body of cream/butter and milk candy. Strength is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, a bit of cream joins to fill out the mustiness to go along with the wood. At a half inch in, the cream drops out and the profile is just a very musty wood note. The retrohale carries a very similar profile although the wood is a little brighter. As the third comes to a close, the wood takes the lead over the mustiness, but not much else has changed. The strength in this third bumped up to medium.

Second Third

The second third has a flavor profile that is mostly cedar and trailing sweetness. The cocoa has fallen to a light minus, almost a background note as the second third establishes itself. The cigar is strong as balls already, with the nicotine strength slapping me around. A few minutes more into the second third some mild spices return.

Second Third

The profile is still medium-full to full in body and medium strength. In terms of flavors, the spice in cedar now comes through within mouth draws. In addition to the cedar, still the same heavy cream/butter, milk chocolate and that synthetic milk candy. At times, I think I’m getting peanut butter? Pretty weird I know.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the wood gains some char to go along with the mustiness. A half inch in, the char has lessened a bit as has the mustiness while the wood is up front. The retrohale is just a musty wood note. At an inch in, the cigar begins to warm up and a toast note joins the wood while the mustiness is not far behind. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last third has mild sweetness and cocoa returning on the retrohale. Some vegetal notes join in as the final third settles in. The profile becomes a lighter version of the first third, with mild spices, sweetness, cocoa, wood and occasional vegetal.

Final Third

The last third continues the trend of picking up more spice within the cedar note. The spicier cedar shows itself in all areas (mouth draws, retrohale and finish). Still, the profile is full of heavy cream/butter, milk chocolate and milk candy. Strength moves up to medium plus while body finishes medium-full/full.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy at times but never needed any attention. The ash held on through each third.

Burn

The burn is quite straight, with a bright white flaky ash that holds in 1+ inch increments. The Toothpick 2.0 does go out once at the halfway point.

Burn

Perfect burn performance. Strong tight ashes, cool burn, ample smoke production and sharp burn.

Draw

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

Overall

The concept for this cigar is a good one of being a price conscious cigar that should deliver above its price point. I didn’t quite have that experience as I felt it’s performance matched its price point appropriately. The flavor profile was centered around wood and mustiness with some additions of cream and char at times.. Construction was very good and allowed me to just focus on flavors. I am looking forward to smoking the Habano version, but for this Mexican San Andres version, it’s probably not something I’m going to rush to smoke again.

Draw

The draw is slightly tight, but not enough to overly impact the cigar experience.

Overall

The Jas Sum Kral Toothpicks 2.0 Mexican San Andrés is a puzzling combination of full strength nicotine that will take you on a trip to pound town, with a flavor profile that seems to average around light plus.

Draw

The draw was also perfect, giving the ideal air flow.

Overall

The Jas Sum Kral Toothpicks 2.0 Mexican San Andrés was a good and consistent treat. The amount of body (think whole milk) was pretty unreal. The flavors to match the body was fitting, providing a great mixture of cream, butter, milk candy and gradual increase in cedar spice. For $6 it’s a no brainer, and I see this scoring high on our year end value and budget listing.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.50

Cost/Point

$1.09

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.57

Cost/Point

$0.91

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$0.84

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Jas Sum Kral Toothpicks 2.0 Mexican San Andrés