Pre-light Experience

A light brown wrapper with some darker areas down near the foot. Some fine veins are visible criss-crossing the wrapper and the seams are pretty easily seen but smooth. There are three very well applied caps and the foot is covered with excess wrapper that is folded over. The standard JSK band is present, but in this presentation it is white with the gold lettering and artwork. The aroma from the wrapper is a very faint hay and although covered up, the foot has a bit of a barnyard note peeking through. On the pre-light draw, I was greeted with a slightly sweet, dry hay and a little bit of red pepper. There was also a slight spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Jas Sum Kral Zlatno Sonce Toro has a smooth and velvety claro shade wrapper. Veins are for the most part well pressed and seams tight. Bunching and roll feels well executed as there are no soft spots and a uniformed give throughout. The parejo head is finished off with a thick, triple cap. Nosing the wrapper gives namely hay and cedar. Nosing the enclosed foot gives cedar, barnyard, mixed nuts and slight white pepper. Cold draw reveals dry cardboard, cedar and sharp white pepper realized, especially on the tip of the tongue.

First Third

Initial draws bring a muddled mix of cinnamon, black pepper and wood. After a few draws, the cinnamon dials back quite a bit with the black pepper and wood mix taking front stage. The Black pepper is slightly creamy as it coats my palate but not with a bite. At a quarter inch in, I’m getting a toasted bread note at the level just before burnt toast with the pepper and wood in the background. That high toast level of bread is also present on the retrohale. At a half inch in, the toast level decreases to a very light toast while the retrohale keeps a high level toast, but not quite at the near burnt level. At an inch in, the light toast remains with the black pepper still pretty noticeable on the finish. At an inch and a quarter, the toasted bread has changed to a toasty oak with a black pepper finish. As the third comes to a close, the toasty oak is a bit dry but has become fuller and there is still some black pepper on the finish. The strength in this third is slightly above medium.

First Third

From initial draw, I immediately notice the power of the ligero leaves. A commanding rich and oily black pepper cakes my entire tongue and palate. On the same flavor plane, more classic Connecticut shade flavors of creamed mixed nuts, medium bodied sweet cream and light hay. Quarter inch in, the cigar shows me it’s powerful strength, somewhere in between medium-full and full. The medium bodied sweet cream and mixed nuts notes amplifies as the cigar progresses. Through the nose, scorching, nasal passage clearing black pepper, followed by mixed nuts and sharp cedar. The finish provides a long and lingering high dosage of rich and oily black pepper zing, creamed mixed nuts and toasted wood. Body is at a consistent medium throughout the entire first third.

Second Third

As this third begins, the oak loses much of the toast and a slight bit of cream joins in. There also isn’t much black pepper anymore on the finish. The slightly creamy oak is also on the retrohale. At a half inch in, the slightly creamy oak remains and has gained a slight sweetness. At an inch and a half in, the cream goes away and the oak becomes slightly drying. As the third comes to a close, a little bitterness joins in with the oak which gets rid of the dryness. The strength in this third is at medium-full.

Second Third

The strength of the cigar although still very prevalent, lets off within the second third. It’s less of a punch in my gut and more of a multitude of jabs. Most importantly, the strength continues to be one that is rich and oily, creating a mouth watering effect. The combination of creamed mixed nuts and medium bodied sweet cream continuously stands well by themselves in the midst of the strength, and at times increases in intensity. A new note of wooded bitterness enters the profile, providing a greater depth of earthiness to the cigar. The retrohale gets a burnt buttery effect in addition to to mixed nuts, powerful black pepper and sharp cedar. The finish is still long and lingering with dominant oily black pepper zing, creamed mixed nuts and toasted wood. Strength is still somewhere in between medium-full and full and body at the medium mark.

Final Third

As this third begins, a bit of coffee has joined in with the oak which makes the slight bitterness welcome. The coffee note is also present on the retrohale. At a quarter inch in, the coffee note goes away while the bitterness increases a bit to go along with the oak. At a half inch in, the oak transitions to a grassiness while some bitterness still remains. At an inch and a half, the bitterness mellows while the grassiness is in full swing. This is how the cigar finishes. The strength in this third was just shy of completely full.

Final Third

A notable change from the beginning of the last third has the strength on full blast. The feel is close to smoking weed, causing my entire mind and body to be numb. The first half of the last third mimics the second third in every fashion. The latter half loses out on some of the distinctiveness of the medium body sweet cream and mixed nuts. This is offset by having the burnt butter note not only on the retrohale, but also now on the finish.

Burn

The burn line was a little wavy but always kept up with itself. The ash held on in about inch and a quarter increments.

Burn

Burn performance overall was very good. Total smoking time clocked in at 1 hour and 15 minutes, around half an hour or so shorter than expected. Burn line was straight and ashes held on strong averaging impressive 2 inch marks.

Draw

The draw was just slightly tighter than I prefer, but still allowed nice full draws.

Overall

Definitely not a traditional Connecticut with the fuller strength and the flavor profile through the first two thirds. It was nice getting some of the traditional grassy notes in the final third with a high strength level which isn’t something I recall experiencing before. Typical Connecticut smokers will be blown away by the strength level, but those that like a full strength cigar and steer away from most Connecticuts for that reason may find this to be something they can add to their rotation. This is very unique and something I can see revisiting when I’m looking for a powerhouse with nice flavor delivery.

Draw

The draw was perfect. I cut the cigar around the second cap, which yielded perfection.

Overall

I used to think the JSK Red Knight was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I take that back, the Zlatno Sonce is. It’s incredibly impressive to have a ligero dominant cigar that doesn’t dry the palate, but instead, is rich, oily and mouth watering. To have this type of strength and to allow the other notes (cream, dry nuts, etc) pull through so well is a testament to Riste’s blending capabilities. RoMa Craft, move over, there’s a new sheriff in town.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

7.00

Cost/Point

$1.51

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

8.20

Cost/Point

$1.29

Scoring System