Gavin
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2009
- Messages
- 3,451
Torano Family Single Region Serie Jalapa Robusto
5" x 52 rg
Made in: Honduras
Wrapper: Jalapa, Nicaragua
Binder: Jalapa, Nicaragua
Filler: Jalapa, Nicaragua
After hearing some good reviews of Torano cigars in general, I decided to pick a couple of their cigars up the last time I was in a semi-local B&M. The Single Region Jalapas looked particularly appealing, so I picked up two, one of which I smoked a day or two ago. I decided to review this one, but if my experience varies considerably from the first sample, I'll try to note how. Here in Taxifornia, I picked these up for a little under eight dollars, but it looks like at least one of CP's great vendors sells them for closer to 5.50 if you buy them by the box. It is currently 12:47 a.m., and I've settled into my armchair, with a Mountain Dew Throwback to pair it with (That's how I roll).
The cigar looks pretty good, with a dark colorado color to it with some faint darker splotches here and there. There are some medium-sized veins, but nothing unsightly. There are two bands, with the first being black and white with a little gold having, 'Single Region' and two flanking Torano Family Crests, and the second is maroon and gold saying 'Serie Jalapa'. They are both fairly understated and elegant, which I tend to prefer.
Giving the old squeeze test inspection, it is uniform in how densely packed the cigar is, with a bit of give, but no noticeable soft spots. There is almost no smell coming off of the wrapper, but the smell coming off of the foot is pungent. There is a rich, aromatic, earthy smell from the filler that reminds me more of pipe tobacco than what I'd generally smell in a cigar.
It's time to punch and light this puppy, and by that I mean cigar, not an actual puppy. I like puppies and would never punch one and set one on fire. Unless it was asking for it. I punch it with the punch on my Bugatti lighter, and go to light it up only to discover that it's out of butane. So I reach for another lighter, and go to light it up only to discover that it, too, is out of butane. So I reach for my nice Prometheus lighter that my wife gave me, which has been broken in one way or another for the majority of the time that I've owned it. Currently, the ignition is out, but by sparking one of my empty lighters, while pressing the gas on my broken one, I'm able to light my broken one, and then light my cigar off of it. The butane can is all the way across the room... It's just too far.
The draw is a little too firm for my liking, so I end up just snipping the cap with a guillotine cutter after all. That solves my draw problem. The smoke is nice and thick, and my initial impression is that it's a fairly mild, earthy cigar. There are some tea notes, which I always enjoy, and maybe a little nuttiness. So far it's very mellow.
It's now 1:11, and I'm an inch into the burn. This cigar is by no means a spice bomb. If you tend towards cigars that nuke your palate, this one is not for you. Instead, it's a soft, creamy smoke, that goes through the nose without the tiniest bit of burn. I don't know about you, but I tend to only 'retrohale' once every few minutes while smoking most cigars, but this one I find myself retrohaling with almost every puff. The burn seems very even, and the smell is aromatic, and pleasant, at least to me. My wife didn't seem to mind the smell when I smoked the first one in her presence, though it's possible she just shut up about it.
After about two inches, I do a preemptive ash into my ashtray. It didn't seem in any danger of falling off, but I didn't want to chance a lap full of ash this evening. That and I got distracted reading CP, and it went out on me, so I had to relight with my crazy dual lighter method again. Flavor seems to have stabilized in a lower medium range, and it strikes me as an elegant cigar. Nothing is bold or in your face, it's just quite pleasant and enjoyable.
Halfway through my cigar, I decide to throw on some background tv, which tonight consists of South Park "Terrence and Phillip in 'Not Without My Anus'". We're high-brow here in the Gavin household. Burn and draw are still excellent, and I'm picking up some flavors reminiscent of an Illusione CG:4. According to some sites, these are made in the Raices Cubanas factory, so some similarities wouldn't be that odd.
An hour in, and I'm in the final third, so I'm going to wrap up here. This is a fine, elegant cigar, that never gets much more than medium-bodied. It's tasty and pleasant, and might make a good morning smoke for me. I could easily recommend trying this to anyone, as it would at least make a nice change of pace for full-bodied smokers, and is approachable to the newb. These might be box-worthy for me. I'll look forward to trying other releases in the Single Region series.
Gavin, signing off.
5" x 52 rg
Made in: Honduras
Wrapper: Jalapa, Nicaragua
Binder: Jalapa, Nicaragua
Filler: Jalapa, Nicaragua
After hearing some good reviews of Torano cigars in general, I decided to pick a couple of their cigars up the last time I was in a semi-local B&M. The Single Region Jalapas looked particularly appealing, so I picked up two, one of which I smoked a day or two ago. I decided to review this one, but if my experience varies considerably from the first sample, I'll try to note how. Here in Taxifornia, I picked these up for a little under eight dollars, but it looks like at least one of CP's great vendors sells them for closer to 5.50 if you buy them by the box. It is currently 12:47 a.m., and I've settled into my armchair, with a Mountain Dew Throwback to pair it with (That's how I roll).
The cigar looks pretty good, with a dark colorado color to it with some faint darker splotches here and there. There are some medium-sized veins, but nothing unsightly. There are two bands, with the first being black and white with a little gold having, 'Single Region' and two flanking Torano Family Crests, and the second is maroon and gold saying 'Serie Jalapa'. They are both fairly understated and elegant, which I tend to prefer.
Giving the old squeeze test inspection, it is uniform in how densely packed the cigar is, with a bit of give, but no noticeable soft spots. There is almost no smell coming off of the wrapper, but the smell coming off of the foot is pungent. There is a rich, aromatic, earthy smell from the filler that reminds me more of pipe tobacco than what I'd generally smell in a cigar.
It's time to punch and light this puppy, and by that I mean cigar, not an actual puppy. I like puppies and would never punch one and set one on fire. Unless it was asking for it. I punch it with the punch on my Bugatti lighter, and go to light it up only to discover that it's out of butane. So I reach for another lighter, and go to light it up only to discover that it, too, is out of butane. So I reach for my nice Prometheus lighter that my wife gave me, which has been broken in one way or another for the majority of the time that I've owned it. Currently, the ignition is out, but by sparking one of my empty lighters, while pressing the gas on my broken one, I'm able to light my broken one, and then light my cigar off of it. The butane can is all the way across the room... It's just too far.
The draw is a little too firm for my liking, so I end up just snipping the cap with a guillotine cutter after all. That solves my draw problem. The smoke is nice and thick, and my initial impression is that it's a fairly mild, earthy cigar. There are some tea notes, which I always enjoy, and maybe a little nuttiness. So far it's very mellow.
It's now 1:11, and I'm an inch into the burn. This cigar is by no means a spice bomb. If you tend towards cigars that nuke your palate, this one is not for you. Instead, it's a soft, creamy smoke, that goes through the nose without the tiniest bit of burn. I don't know about you, but I tend to only 'retrohale' once every few minutes while smoking most cigars, but this one I find myself retrohaling with almost every puff. The burn seems very even, and the smell is aromatic, and pleasant, at least to me. My wife didn't seem to mind the smell when I smoked the first one in her presence, though it's possible she just shut up about it.
After about two inches, I do a preemptive ash into my ashtray. It didn't seem in any danger of falling off, but I didn't want to chance a lap full of ash this evening. That and I got distracted reading CP, and it went out on me, so I had to relight with my crazy dual lighter method again. Flavor seems to have stabilized in a lower medium range, and it strikes me as an elegant cigar. Nothing is bold or in your face, it's just quite pleasant and enjoyable.
Halfway through my cigar, I decide to throw on some background tv, which tonight consists of South Park "Terrence and Phillip in 'Not Without My Anus'". We're high-brow here in the Gavin household. Burn and draw are still excellent, and I'm picking up some flavors reminiscent of an Illusione CG:4. According to some sites, these are made in the Raices Cubanas factory, so some similarities wouldn't be that odd.
An hour in, and I'm in the final third, so I'm going to wrap up here. This is a fine, elegant cigar, that never gets much more than medium-bodied. It's tasty and pleasant, and might make a good morning smoke for me. I could easily recommend trying this to anyone, as it would at least make a nice change of pace for full-bodied smokers, and is approachable to the newb. These might be box-worthy for me. I'll look forward to trying other releases in the Single Region series.
Gavin, signing off.
