Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a milk chocolate brown. There are a couple of decent sized veins that are well pressed. The seams are easily visible due to the wrappers thickness but are rolled tight. The caps are applied very nicely. The cigar has a very aggressive rectangle press to it. There are two bands. The primary band has the line and blenders name on it while the foot band says Private Reserve Box-Pressed. The bands are primarily burgundy, gold and black. The aroma from the wrapper is a light barnyard and well aged leather. The foot aroma has a light hay sweetness. The pre-light draw has a light hay sweetness and a bit of cinnamon. There is also a bit of a spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Manolo Estate Cuban Crown Toro has a rustic Colorado Maduro wrapper. The box press is aggressive, creating more of a rectangular ring gauge. Veins are pressed semi-well and seams not very tight. The cigar’s bunch and roll feels firm, with no soft spots. Head is finished off with a thick triple cap. Pre-light wrapper aromas give aged cedar and barnyard. Foot aromas tell sharp cedar and sneezing dry white pepper spice. Cold draw tells dry cardboard and lip tingling dry white pepper.

First Third

Initial draws bring a dry cocoa and cinnamon, similar to some Mexican chocolates. A quarter inch in, the cocoa goes away and cedar comes in to go along with the mild cinnamon. The retrohale consists of a slight cocoa with a fairly zingy cinnamon. A half inch in and the cedar becomes a bit drying with a little bit of cinnamon on the finish. At an inch in, dry cedar is still the dominant flavor while the cinnamon continues to hang on to the finish. The retrohale still carries a bit of cocoa and the cinnamon zing has dialed back a bit. As the third comes to a close, a little gritty earthiness and some bitterness joins in with the cedar and the cinnamon finish. The strength in this third is just below medium.

First Third

The first thirds most realized flavor notes are dark and bitter cocoa and faint palate layering wood bitterness. Accompanying these notes, roasted dry nuts, balanced tongue layering black pepper spice and baking spices. Through the nose, intensified (and welcoming) black pepper spice and sharp oak. The finish has black pepper on the rear palate, faint wood bitterness and dried roasted nuttiness. Both body and strength is at a medium within the entire first third.

Second Third

As this third begins, the bitterness and cinnamon go away and the profile is cedar and gritty earthiness. At a half inch in, the earthiness loses the grittiness but moves to the front of the profile with cedar in the background. The retrohale is a smooth cedar. At an inch and a quarter in, the earthiness remains up front with the cedar in the background and a little bit of earthiness moves into the retrohale to compliment the cedar. As the third comes to a close, a little pepper joins in with the earthiness and cedar. The strength in this third is slightly above medium.

Second Third

The second third has a couple notable transitions; increased wood bitterness and a new note of bread. The remaining profile still remains, with notes of dark and bitter cocoa, roasted dry nuts, balanced tongue layering black pepper and baking spices. Through the nose, still an intensified and welcoming black pepper spice, sharp oak and the bread note from the mouth draws now coming through the nose. The finish remains unchanged, still providing slight black pepper on the rear palate, faint wood bitterness and dry roasted nuttiness. Body and strength continues to be at a medium.

Final Third

As this third begins, the cedar leaves the profile and the earthiness and pepper remain. A half inch in, a bit of cream and what I can only describe as effervescence joins in the profile with the earthiness to give an interesting profile. After a few draws, the effervescence goes away and is replaced by a bit of mintiness. At an inch in, the profile is earthiness and mintiness. The retrohale is now a toasty oak. At an inch and a quarter in, some creaminess joins in with the earthiness and mintiness. At an inch and a half in, the mintiness goes away and the earthiness and cream remain. This is how the cigar finishes. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Final Third

The only difference between the second third and last third is the wood note. The wood bitterness has transitioned into a slightly charred wood. Still, notes of dark and bitter cocoa, bread, roasted dry nuts, balanced tongue layering black pepper and baking spices. Through the nose, still the same level of black pepper, sharp oak and bread. The finish still lingers with slight black pepper on the rear palate, faint wood bitterness and dry roasted nuttiness. Body and strength continues to be at a medium.

Burn

There was a little bit of waviness, but the burn always kept up with itself. There was a decent bulge at the foot of the cigar when it was burning, most likely due to the aggressive rectangle press, but it never caused the wrapper to split. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Burn

The burn was very good. Total smoking time of 2 hours and 7 minutes. Burn line stayed fairly sharp throughout the entire smoking experience. The ashes held on strong, averaging 1.5 inch increments.

Draw

The draw was just slightly looser than I prefer, but others may find it perfect and I was able to get large volumes of smoke on each draw.

Overall

While there wasn’t much in the way of transitions, the flavor profile that the cigar offered was good, so it stayed interesting. The cedar, cinnamon and earthiness are all primary flavors I enjoy and the accompanying flavors were good as well. This would be approachable to most smokers as the profile didn’t get too dark and the strength level stayed in the medium range. This would definitely be worthwhile to seek out some to see how they fit your profile. I could definitely see smoking this cigar again.

Draw

The draw was perfect. Just the right amount of resistance, allowing the flavors to deliver in a seamless manner.

Overall

This was a run of the mill, good Mexican San Andres. I rarely have a bad or great Mexican San Andres cigar. Many fall in this line of being good but nothing truly remarkable. I enjoyed the dark and bitter cocoa notes quite a bit, reminding me of a good Guatemalan coffee. Overall, a cigar worth smoking, but many are like this.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.67

Cost/Point

$1.35

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.20

Cost/Point

$1.25

Scoring System