Purchased: Box of 20 Toro (6 X 52)
Store: CigarPage
Price: $119
Buy Again: Yes
Box Worthy: Obviously
Experience Rating: 94
I’ve recently become a fan of Don Pepin Garcia cigars, having been introduced to the Blue Label earlier this year. I’ve known about the brand for a long time, as the My Father factory, where these are manufactured, is where Tatuaje, my favorite brand of cigars is also produced. I’ve had a few of the My Father lines, but for some reason they never piqued my interest more than just trying them. But I wanted to keep an open mind, so on the recommendation of an employee at my local B&M, I tried the Blue Label and was hooked! That in turn drove me to try the Black Label and here we are.
Cigars that are manufactured in the same factory tend to have some common identifying traits. My Father and Tatuaje cigars all have black pepper at light-up, with hints of cedar, at least that’s what I’ve found. The Black is no exception to this. But that’s where the similarities end. This is a wildly different cigar, even from the Blue.
At first inspection, this is a clean cigar. It has a nice, smooth wrapper with some visible veins, with barely visible seams. While the cigar isn’t heavy by any means, it feels packed. It’s firm with no soft spots.
Smelling the unlit cigar is a real treat. Yes, there’s a bit of barnyard and grassiness. But I also picked up a distinct sour smell reminiscent of aged Gorgonzola Dulce cheese. The cold draw also carried that sourness. Very pleasing indeed. One might think that the light golden wrapper indicates a Connie. But it’s a Corojo Rosado wrapper and there’s nothing Connie-like with it.
On light-up, I got the classic MyFather start: A hit of black pepper and cedar. But those quickly died down and in the case of the cedar, it went away entirely. In the first third, this was replaced by a gentle citrus quality (that sourness carrying over), accompanied by Melba toast, malt, stone fruit, vanilla, and a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. That sourness reminds me of that Cuban twang but it’s not the same nor does it linger like it does with a Cuban. But it’s its own thing, so it’s not a problem. And lest I forget, smoke production is huge, with each draw yielding thick clouds of billowy, white smoke.
As I get into the second third and the cigar starts loading, the smoke becomes a little astringent for the first few puffs, but in a good way, but the effect didn’t last too long. The original flavors I tasted are still there, but they’re also ratcheted up a few notches. With each puff, I can feel the strength and intensity pick up. And when it hits, it comes on strong. Strength gets close to full, with nicotine on the rise as well. The malt flavor picks up. It’s like sucking on the center of a malted milk ball. The smoke takes on a luxurious, creamy texture. And there’s a fleeting hint of roses on the finish. Lovely. And near the middle of the smoke, the complexity takes off.
But at this point, while I might have described subtle hints of this and that, make no mistake. This cigar is a beast. Its light-colored wrapper makes you think you’re going to be smoking a nice, spicy Connie. But it’s deceiving. If you want to play a joke on an unsuspecting friend who’s not a regular cigar smoker, give them one of these. They’ll be puking their guts out when they hit the second third! But I wouldn’t do that; not because I’d be concerned for my friend puking, but because I wouldn’t want to waste a good cigar!
I’m now in the final third and the onslaught has leveled out. And no, that doesn’t mean that it has calmed down. It hit a peak, then stayed there. I’m an experienced smoker and my head is slightly spinning from the strength of the smoke and the nicotine. I had to slow my puff rate significantly. But that’s what I love about this stick. By the final third, I’m in a relaxed state, buzzing from the nicotine coursing through my veins. Thank God I’m drinking some tea sweetened with honey. I need that sugar to maintain my blood sugar levels. Holy shit!
A similar pattern of a switching palate is maintained in the final third, but the transitions are significantly subdued, not like the previous rapid-fire changes. Espresso and cacao beans have finally entered the fray, and the sourness has also picked up. The smoke is viscous and creamy now, with a slightly sweet finish. There’s a background fruitiness to the finish that wasn’t in the previous thirds. It’s a real treat!
Total smoke time is just shy of an hour-and-a-half. The first third goes quickly at about twenty minutes. But once the cigar loads, the burn slows down significantly. The draw has been perfect the entire time. Just a slight resistance, and it has maintained that through the entire smoke. As far as burn is concerned, it has been close to perfect. It got wavy at times because I’m outside and there was a slight breeze, but it died down and now the burn line is razor-straight!
For me, this is a cigar for the ages. Yes, it’s a production cigar, but who the hell cares? I like a good boutique cigar just as much as anyone. But if it tastes good, it is good. And that’s why this cigar, like its brother the Blue Label, will always be part of my regular rotation.
Unco B's Stogie Diary 