Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro is light brown and carries a couple of decently raised veins. The seams are a bit raised and the caps are well applied. There are two bands, both carrying a pinkish-taupe, copper and black color combination. The primary band is the traditional design for the company while the secondary band denotes the line. The aroma from the wrapper is a distinct meaty, maybe beef jerky smokiness while the foot has a combination of the same smokiness along with some general wood. The pre-light draw brings oak and the smoky meatiness along with a mid-level spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro is covered with a silky wrapper. Small sized veins through out. Natural coloring with some dark golden hay. Aromas of seasoned wood, leather, barnyard, tobacco, herbs and spices.
John: The Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro comes in cellophane and has a UPC sticker with an integrated tear space so it remains intact when opened. The cigar is double banded, with a primary copper on cream and black primary band, and a secondary band underneath in a way so that they’re integrated visually, indicating ‘Sangre Nueva’. Smelling the wrapper, I was picking up on moss, wood, light bread and hay. From the foot, I also picked up on moss, and wood, along with tobacco.
Jiunn: The Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro has a Colorado wrapper shade showing some nice even traces of fine tooth. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head is well wrapped and capped. Aromas from the wrapper tell savory pipe tobacco. Foot aromas gives the same but with greater intensity. Cold draw tells cedar, salt on the lips and pipe tobacco.

Team Cigar Review: Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted and smoky oak along with black pepper and earth. At a half inch in, the black pepper mellows a bit. The retrohale is an even mix of smoky, toasted oak and earth with a mildly zingy black pepper. At an inch in, the oak is very detailed and lingers for a while on my tongue. At an inch and a quarter, the earth is now right behind the smoky, toasted oak. As the third comes to a close, the smoky, toasted oak is just ahead of the earth with the black pepper further behind. The strength was right at medium.
Seth: The first third starts out with sharp, sweet spice notes. There are some mineral aspects present with that and it has some creamy, earthy and cedar qualities. Medium in strength and body.
John: The first third gets going with baking spices, mossy tobacco and a spice and wood combination to finish. The center is taken over by a clean, sweet wood after just a few puffs. As the first third settles, creamy wood and spices are present through the retrohale. Some time later, bread mixes into the retrohale. Dry wood leads into the post draw as the cigar continues to evolve.
Jiunn: The first third gives abundant sweet buttered toast, pencil lead minerality and medium-full bodied cream. Retrohaling gives a hint of that savory pipe tobacco found on pre-light, and spicy cedar. The finish shows buttered toast. Strength and body is medium.

Team Cigar Review: Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the toast level increases. At a quarter inch in, the black pepper is now pretty mild. The retrohale is now just smoky, toasted oak and earth. At an inch in, a light chalkiness joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the smoky, toasted oak and earth are even up front, with chalkiness in the middle and black pepper in the background. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.
Seth: The second third delivers a continuation of the flavors present in the first third. I am picking up sweet spice notes with some cedar, leather, tobacco and hay. Soft cream and earth aspects present as well. Medium in strength and body.
John: The second third initially hits me with bread, spices and a creamy wood to finish, as mossy tobacco provides accents. Like the first third, some wood takes over the center of the profile and takes on some dryness as the second third settles in. As it progresses, wood is the primary flavor driver. Spices join at the end of the draw, lingering for a time on the post draw.
Jiunn: The second third shows more spice and cedar influence from the mouth draws. This is a welcoming event, as these flavors give an extra depth to the flavor profile. The deep flavor of sweet buttered toast is still in full effect. Strength and body is still medium.

Team Cigar Review: Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the smokiness is now very light. At a half inch in, a light wood bitterness joins the profile. The retrohale remains smoky, toasted oak and earth. At an inch in, the chalkiness is now very mellow. As the cigar wraps up, the lightly smoky, toasted oak and earth are even up front with black pepper, chalkiness and wood bitterness in the background. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third delivers a more mineral and earthy version of the second third. Sweet spices with some cedar and cream. Pepper, mineral and earthy qualities as well. Medium in strength and body.
John: Spicy wood opens the last third, with a mild dry wood carrying into the post draw. Some cardboard comes through in the center of the profile as it progresses. There was no more evolution of the profile through the last third.
Jiunn: The final third shifts to a profile that shows less sweetness and a bit of toasted/burnt character is picked up in the form of the toast and cedar. Strength and body finishes the same medium.

Team Cigar Review: Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro

Burn

Aaron: The burn was slightly wavy at times, but never needed any attention and the ash held on in inch and a half increments.
Seth: Nice burn throughout.
John: The burn started uneven, self correcting after a time. It was mildly uneven in the second third, eventually requiring a touch-up. The burn was even through the last third.
Jiunn: Perfect burn. Even, solid ashes, cool burning temperature and ample smoke production.

Team Cigar Review: Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro

Draw

Aaron: The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.
Seth: Nice draw throughout.
John: The draw was somewhat into the resistant spectrum, roughly two notches which still rates it as a very good draw.
Jiunn: The draw was also perfect, striking the ideal air flow.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted and smoky oak along with black pepper and earth. The second third saw a chalkiness join in and the final third saw a light wood bitterness join. The Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro had a nice start with a good balance of detailed flavors. As the pepper mellowed in the second third, it dropped down a level and maintained that the rest of the way. The smokiness both from the pre-light and smoking experience wasn’t something I had expected based on how the cigar was described, but I’m always intrigued by a bit of fire cured tobacco. Overall, the cigar wasn’t all that exciting past the first third and I don’t see it as something I’d come back to all that frequently.
Seth: I was not blown away by the Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro. I have actually smoked multiple vitolas of the blend, and find it to be lacking. It seems to be missing components that would help elevate the cigar/blend. Construction was decent, not great. It is not a Casa Cuevas I would come back to or recommend. I would stick with the Cuevas Reserva Natural.
John: The Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro did more than enough through the first and second thirds to check boxes for flavor combinations and keeping me engaged. The last third was still pleasant but lacked the same level of flavor depth as the rest of the cigar. Both the draw and the burn had minor issues, with the draw being slightly into the resistant spectrum, and a single touch-up being required for the burn. I enjoyed the Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro, and would happily smoke it again. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 19 minutes.
Jiunn: This Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro sort of reminds me of eating a sweet and (hint of) savory piece of toast. But it’s important to note it’s not just about sweetness. It has minerals, wood and spice to make you want to smoke to the finish line. Well blended and unique profile in which I will be back for more.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.85

Cost/Point

$2.31

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.85

Cost/Point

$2.31

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.57

Cost/Point

$2.06

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.98

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Toro