I purchased the Graycliff G2 PGX toro (6 x 50) on a whim, never having previously tried any Graycliff products. Subsequently, I had no idea what to expect as I punched a hole in the cap. I became a little concerned as the wrapper near the head cracked when I tried to remove the puncher. I chalked it up to being a bit dried out and proceeded to light it up. Continue reading
Tag Archives: toro
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Toro
I’d heard good things about the Rocky Patel Vintage 1990. The reviews were good and the brand is highly regarded, so I removed the cigar from my humidor with a feeling of anticipation. The pre-light smell was pleasant enough, kind of earthy, but not too strong. I punched a hole and performed a pre-draw. It tasted heavily of cocoa, but it was a little odd, like cocoa that had somehow become freezer-burned. Continue reading
La Floridita Limited Edition Toro (Update)
I posted a review of this cigar awhile back, but I smoked my second of this variety and wanted to post an update. This is a truly good cigar. These are one of the best bargain-priced cigars out there. A box can be had for around $75 and 5-packs can often be picked up at a very reasonable price. As I recall I got mine for around $2 per stick.
These cigars offer a highly relaxing smoke. Both cigars I’ve tried had an even burn and a solid flavor. It was difficult for me to place the exact properties of the taste (possibly anise and ginger, with a little spice thrown in.) The closest I could come was a feeling: that which you get when coming home after a long time away and walking into the house to the smell of freshly baked cookies and getting a pat on the back from Dad. It was just a good, comforting cigar.
I would definitely consider purchasing a box of these sticks and if you’re looking for a low-cost choice for a regular smoke, then the La Floridita Limited Edition toro might just be your cigar!
La Gran Fuma Toro
The La Gran Fuma toro (6 x 54) was the second of a two cigar smoke comparison. The first was the La Campina corona, which got high praise. I lit up the toro with high hopes. It had a darker wrapper and I was hoping to get a full-flavored, complex smoke.
Because of the large ring gauge, I used my punch keyring to cut a hole in the head of the cigar. The pre-draw seemed a bit tight, but I decided to light it up anyway. The cigar lit with fair ease, but after the first few puffs, my fears of a tight draw were confirmed. I used my twin blade cutter to snip of the cap entirely and tried again. It was not much improved, but I decided to give the cigar a chance.
The taste was surprisingly low, giving off a faint hint of coffee and a fair amount of nut. Unfortunately, the draw was so tight that it was very difficult to get a good amount of smoke. After an inch or so of smoking, my jaws were beginning to tire from the mere act of pulling in the smoke.
The burn was pretty good and the cigar looked nice, except for a few dark spots on the wrapper, but the smoking experience was simply too much work. It burned so cool that I had to continually puff to keep it going and this only contributed to the ache in my jaws.
Finally, after about two inches I called it quits and doused the cigar with water to put it out. I have a couple more of this cigar and I think I’ll set one outside the humidor for a few days to let it dry out a little on the off-chance that it was simply to moist to burn properly. It’s an unfortunate situation, because I think the smoke would be pleasant if you weren’t exhausted afterwards. For that reason I’m going to give it three stars. If the second proves to be as bad, I’ll downgrade it to two, but at least I can say I gave it a fair shake.
Good Points
- Aesthically pleasing
- Good burn
Bad Points
- Low smoke volume
- Weak taste
- Tight draw
La Floridita Limited Edition Toro (Live)
9:05 pm – I’m sitting out on the patio right now, enjoying a La Floridita Limited Edition toro cigar. It’s early for spring in Michigan, but I’m not going to look a gift warm day in the mouth. Getting suspicious of Mother Nature and trying to second guess her doesn’t pay. She always comes back with something you aren’t expecting. So instead I am choosing to ignore the feeling of impending doom and enjoy the mild, although somewhat breezy, evening. Fortunately the patio has enclosed sides, protecting my smoking experience from too much wind.
9:27 pm – I’m about an inch and a half into the La Floridita and I have to say that so far it is meeting my possibly unreasonable expectations. These expectations were mainly due to a couple of largely unpleasant smoking experiences earlier in the day–more on that in a later post. In short, I was ready for something decent. The cigar lit nicely and was good from the beginning. The farther I’ve smoked the better it has tasted. The flavor, a bit harsh at first, has mellowed and since that initial change has remained constant.
9:47 pm – I’m about an inch farther in and happy to report that the pleasant, even taste has continued. The good-looking ash finally fell off of its own accord at about two inches and the cigar continued burning like a champ. The burn got off once, but self-corrected with no assistance from me. It has burned coolly, as well, no hint yet of hot smoke, although we’ll see what happens in another inch or two.
9:55 pm – The draw of this cigar is very good, not fantastic, but good. It requires something of a pull, but it doesn’t make your jaws hurt after an hour of smoking. In fact, I’m beginning to dread the end of the smoke, even though I have at least thirty minutes left. To me that is a great sign of a good cigar when you don’t want it to end. I’ve smoked decent cigars that I was ready to put away long before they died a natural death. So far the La Floridita is not one of them.
10:14 pm – The cigar finally went cold. Apparently I let it sit too long. I relit it, purged it, and rediscovered the flavor. It’s a little stronger now, with only three inches left to go, but it’s still enjoyable. It still hasn’t begun to burn hot. I really like the smoke production of this cigar. I would say it is medium-high volume. It’s sightly, aromatic, and plentiful. I personally like a lot of smoke from my cigars, but too much can be overwhelming. The La Floridita has just the right amount for me.
10:36 pm – Only about an inch and a half of smokable cigar to go and all is well. The cigar has maintained its burn and stayed flavorful. It is beginning to get just a bit harsher, but the smoke has remained cool. It has also lasted a little longer than I expected, with still about twenty minutes to go. Granted, I’ve been writing and not constantly smoking, but it’s still a good run. I’m starting to wind down now and, while not looking forward to the end of the smoke, am feeling content enough to stop when the time comes.
10:48 – Maybe one more inch and I’ll be done with this cigar. It went out again and I had to relight and purge. Even so, it’s still enjoyable. It’s getting a bit brutal in flavor, although still not burning overly hot. The smoke is becoming pretty spicy, but not bad at all. I’m going to go ahead and give this cigar four out of five stars, bid you all a good night, and finish it off. Thanks for reading! Why not pick up a La Floridita Limited and give it a try? If you do, stop back by and let me know how you made out. See you all later!
