Cigar Therapy

Happy Friday!

Last night I had the pleasure to attend Cigar Therapy at Outman Cigar and Martini Bar. It was a BLAST! Needless to say I had a fantastic time. I met a lot of great people and it truly proved to be therapeutic. Hell, what's more therapeutic than cigars, libations, and great people? Any way, I digress. Today's review will focus on Carlos Torano's "Master." I received this cigar by being a part of the Cigar Dave Officer's Club. It's always nice to receive a package in the mail once a month with various, and often newly released, cigars.

Carlos Torano "Master"
Toro
Cost: $7's
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Nicaragua (Esteli/Jalapa)
Binder: Nicuaragua (Esteli)

Upon receiving this cigar I was pleasantly surprised because most Torano bands are typically ornate and very detailed. However, this band is very simple and only consists of two colors: stark black and rich cream.

The cigar cut and lit easily with no loose tobacco. The condition of the wrapper was nearly flawless as the cigar only possessed small veins and no blemishes worth noting.

The pre-light draw was pleasant in that it was not too tight, but offered a bit of resistance. Throughout the first third the cigar was very mild but possessed a great deal of creaminess along with nutty undertones, which I quite enjoyed. As I continued to enjoy the cigar a distinct sweetness began to present itself. The sweetness resembled a mild chocolate cocoa along with a hint of nutmeg.

Unlike many other cigars I've previously smoked, this cigar required no re-lighting or "babysitting" which made the overall experience fantastic.

This cigar most certainly has a place in my humidor. This is a reasonably priced cigar with complex yet pleasant flavors. It's a real winner!

Two in Two Days - I'm on a roll.

I’ll get right to it.

Liga Privada T52

Belicoso

Cost: $13.90

Wrapper: Stalk Cut Habano Wrapper

Binder and Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran

After various pictures of fellow cigars smokers papered the e-wall of Twitter, I knew I had to see what all the rage was about. The T52 is a nice looking cigar with a simple, yet elegant band. I enjoy the color of the cigar when paired with the band which is an off-white band with both camel brown and black writing. The cigar is smooth, but not very oily (unfortunately). The veins of the cigar are small and the wrapper in good condition with no obvious blemishes. The pre-light aroma is barnyard like. It is strong and instills an outdoorsy sense. It cut very well leaving no cigar particles and lit with easy. Both the pre-light draw and draw (while smoking) were good with the appropriate amount of resistance offered from the cigar. I feel that unlike a lot of cigars, the leaves were not over packed, which allowed for a nice firm cigar, but with no soft spots.

The flavor of the cigar offered a great amount of texture as it appealed to various spots within the mouth. The tip and outer portions of my tongue tingled with hints of pepper, while the center portion and roof of my mouth detected honey. Also, the back of my throat also experienced a great amount of peppery flavor – which was long lasting, and frankly shadowed other flavors that might have been presented.

The T52 is overall an OK smoke. I feel that this cigar should be more in the $7-9 price range as opposed to $10+. I won’t be keeping many of these around, especially at that price point.