MiamiCubano
El Martillo (My Boxing Name)
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2003
- Messages
- 3,876
Specimen - Carlos Torano Noventa - Latin (Torpedo)
Specs -
6 x 54 (some ref. the size as 6.5 x 54 however)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua (blended from regions: Esteli, Jalapa, Condega, Pueblo Nuevo)
Headed back to Miami yesterday from the Keys a bit early - had some family get together to celebrate a birthday. Ended up having lunch at Isla Canarias over in West Miami. After having a delicious meal of crema malanga as an appetizer, followed by vaca frita, frijoles negras, arroz y maduros, I let the rest of the family (mostly women present anyway) enjoy catching up on times/stories/etc, and headed outside to light this baby up, and grab un cafe from the outside order window. Was an absolutely gorgeous day, so to be indoors was almost sacrilege to me.
Now on to this cigar. Supposedly this one is a commemoration of the Toranos' 90 years as tobacco growers. Purported to be a blend of five year old Nicaraguan tobacco, aged in reserves until they reach their peak. So, I saw it a couple of months or so ago, I picked one up and let it sit for a while. Yesterday was the day.
I must say, it's very good looking in appearance. A rich cocoa-ish/leather looking tone to it, smell is very nice. Good clean tobacco smell. I clip, toast and fire the beauty up. The draw is decent (though not entirely smooth), and the first tastes are....are....well, it's actually quite bland. Clean tobacco, but nothing else. Sip some cafe, cleanse the palate a bit, try again. A hint of spice, a little suggestion of leather perhaps, and tobacco. Damn, this is a boring cigar. Not a bountiful smoker either and the draw, as mentioned above, always felt a little plugged (just a bit).
Kept at it, and it held a nice white ash for about 2.5 inches or so, before falling to the ground. As the stick progressed, its complexity never really developed. It was just a tobacco-tasting stick, with some hints of underlying notes that never came to the surface or developed. The entire time it was a rather boring, understated, medium bodied stick (perhaps in the middle of the medium spectrum, but not at all close to a medium-to-full). I finished it to the last inch or so, and about that time my lovely little wife came outside and advised me the birthday cake was about to cut and served. So, I ditched the stick and went inside.
For the "hype" surrounding this cigar, and its price point, it really does fail to deliver. I have had far worse cigars in my time, but this one is not one that I would be looking to get again. Rather, in the Torano line (if you're looking for something in that line that is), I much prefer the Virtuoso series. Those have far more complexity than do these Noventas and are priced more reasonably.
Specs -
6 x 54 (some ref. the size as 6.5 x 54 however)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua (blended from regions: Esteli, Jalapa, Condega, Pueblo Nuevo)
Headed back to Miami yesterday from the Keys a bit early - had some family get together to celebrate a birthday. Ended up having lunch at Isla Canarias over in West Miami. After having a delicious meal of crema malanga as an appetizer, followed by vaca frita, frijoles negras, arroz y maduros, I let the rest of the family (mostly women present anyway) enjoy catching up on times/stories/etc, and headed outside to light this baby up, and grab un cafe from the outside order window. Was an absolutely gorgeous day, so to be indoors was almost sacrilege to me.
Now on to this cigar. Supposedly this one is a commemoration of the Toranos' 90 years as tobacco growers. Purported to be a blend of five year old Nicaraguan tobacco, aged in reserves until they reach their peak. So, I saw it a couple of months or so ago, I picked one up and let it sit for a while. Yesterday was the day.
I must say, it's very good looking in appearance. A rich cocoa-ish/leather looking tone to it, smell is very nice. Good clean tobacco smell. I clip, toast and fire the beauty up. The draw is decent (though not entirely smooth), and the first tastes are....are....well, it's actually quite bland. Clean tobacco, but nothing else. Sip some cafe, cleanse the palate a bit, try again. A hint of spice, a little suggestion of leather perhaps, and tobacco. Damn, this is a boring cigar. Not a bountiful smoker either and the draw, as mentioned above, always felt a little plugged (just a bit).
Kept at it, and it held a nice white ash for about 2.5 inches or so, before falling to the ground. As the stick progressed, its complexity never really developed. It was just a tobacco-tasting stick, with some hints of underlying notes that never came to the surface or developed. The entire time it was a rather boring, understated, medium bodied stick (perhaps in the middle of the medium spectrum, but not at all close to a medium-to-full). I finished it to the last inch or so, and about that time my lovely little wife came outside and advised me the birthday cake was about to cut and served. So, I ditched the stick and went inside.
For the "hype" surrounding this cigar, and its price point, it really does fail to deliver. I have had far worse cigars in my time, but this one is not one that I would be looking to get again. Rather, in the Torano line (if you're looking for something in that line that is), I much prefer the Virtuoso series. Those have far more complexity than do these Noventas and are priced more reasonably.
Unfortunately, I have a box of these, but I only paid $199 as opposed to their rediculous asking prices. My thought when I 1st smoked this cigar was "WTF?" :0 . $199 was way too much!! 
