The Recluse Iconic OTG Toro is a box pressed beauty coming in at 6.25 x 50. Its Brazilian maduro wrapper is a medium brown with rich reddish hues, a slight tooth, with flawless wrapper construction.

Pre-light

The Recluse had one of the best pre-light tastes I’ve had, with a full chocolate flavor, somewhere between milk and dark. The pre-light draw was excellent. This cigar had been sitting in my humidor for a few weeks and had fully acclimated. It had no crackle as I pressed it softly between a finger and thumb and had just the right amount of give and resistance. It lit without problem, giving off a pungent, toasty aroma from the start.

First Third

Throughout the first third, the draw remained superb. The smoke output was plentiful, aromatic, and satisfying. The Recluse took on an interesting peppery molasses flavor. The spice was very well balanced and provided a zing without being overwhelming.

Second Third

The burn did start to go off the rails at the beginning of the second third. I gave it a chance to self-correct, but was forced to give it a little touchup, after which it stayed on course. The second third featured a toasty, rural, woody flavor. Extremely pleasant, it was comforting and reassuring. The aroma reminded me a little of a campfire. The smoke output became more sparse and the draw tightened up a little.

Final Third

The final third was a lot like the one just before it. The Recluse continued with the toasty flavor, but the spice returned, although to a lesser degree. I had to start babying it a little more, taking fewer puffs to avoid overheating. This is typical of cigars as they burn down, but this one required a bit more effort than usual to balance the need to avoid the harshness of overheating, yet keep the cigar lit and burning. At one point I did have to relight the cigar, but this did not negatively affect the taste of the stick.

Conclusion

I received two of the Recluse cigars for review by the company. This review is based on the second cigar, but I can say that the first performed similarly. They both featured excellent construction and the same great taste. I enjoyed this cigar and would not hesitate to try another. This is a new line, but I would recommend that you check out your local B&M cigar store. If they don’t have them in stock, let them know that a great new product is now on the market.