cigardawg
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 1,557
Changed my pace a little last night, decided to smoke something a little different. I saw in Cigar Aficionado that the Bucanero Salsa Torpedo received the highest rating for a figurado in the current issue...a 90. I just happened to have one from last year's RTDA, so I thought I would test it out.
Bucanero Salsa Torpedo
Nice dark cigar. Don't know if Bucanero actually classifies this as a maduro, but it sure looks like one. There were only minor veins visible and just one very noticable seam. The pre-light nose was mild, but of coffee and earth. The pre-light draw was firm, but not tight.
The cigar lit easily and upon lighting, the draw opened up a bit. Each puff produced ample smoke, thick enough for some decent smoke rings. The cigar burned even and cool throughout, requiring no touch-ups and not even getting hot at the nub. The ash was very white and firm, staying on the cigar for an inch-plus at a time. Very good construction.
Initial tastes were a little salty. The torpedo quickly settled into a coffee, espresso, earthy flavor profiles that was medium in body. This flavor profile hung around until 1/3 mark when the cigar developed a tanginess. It was not sharp, but perhaps what Bucanero was shooting for in this cigar...spicy. There was a definite cocoa taste on the finish, pleasant. At the mid-point, the flavors mellowed out and declined somewhat. It did maintain a basic coffee profile with cocoa on the finish, but became much less interesting. :0 On the back end there were some black tea and charred flavors. Nice cigar.
I enjoyed the Bucanero Salsa Torpedo. It had a good flavor profile, but became much less interesting at the midpoint. Makes you wonder how much of the cigar the tasters at CA actually smoke. Was it a 90? Not in my humble opinion. I rate this cigar a nice solid B.
Arturo Fuente Cuban Belicoso Sun Grown
My second cigar of the evening was one of my favorite "bargain" sticks. In fact, for $5.50, there are few cigars better.
This was a good looking cigar, with a nice, dark, oily sun grown wrapper. The only flaw in the wrapper that I saw was actually caused by application of the cedar and black band at the foot. The cedar had actually been creased and this left an indention in the cigar. Anyway, the pre-light nose was primarily of cedar with coffee and leather undertones. The pre-light draw was very open.
This cigar lit easily and the draw stayed very open. Now, I happen to like an open draw, but I would guess that this cigar was actually too open for the liking of many cigar smokers. Smoke production was excellent, with billows produced at each puff. The ash was white and firm. Had a couple of burn issues on the second half. Needed one correction and then the cigar decided to start tunneling a bit. Took some work, but kept it going. The work I put into it had a cost, however, as the cigar burned a little hot on the back end.
I really like the taste of these cigars. It started out with some nice smokey leather tastes and coffee. This quickly settled into a primary coffee flavor with a smokiness undertone that added a very pleasant dimension to the smoke.
Near the mid-point, the cigar developed a little more strength and put out some toasty wood flavors to compliment the coffee. The finish was primarily of leather and coffee. As the cigar neared the back end, the smokey flavores increased and some charred wood appeared. Very good tasting cigar.
Now, I have had AF Cuban Belicosos that I would rate an A- or even an A. However, the burn problems with this one kept it from reaching its true potential. I have to rate this cigar a B+. It was still a better tasting cigar than the 90-rated Salsa.
Bucanero Salsa Torpedo
Nice dark cigar. Don't know if Bucanero actually classifies this as a maduro, but it sure looks like one. There were only minor veins visible and just one very noticable seam. The pre-light nose was mild, but of coffee and earth. The pre-light draw was firm, but not tight.
The cigar lit easily and upon lighting, the draw opened up a bit. Each puff produced ample smoke, thick enough for some decent smoke rings. The cigar burned even and cool throughout, requiring no touch-ups and not even getting hot at the nub. The ash was very white and firm, staying on the cigar for an inch-plus at a time. Very good construction.
Initial tastes were a little salty. The torpedo quickly settled into a coffee, espresso, earthy flavor profiles that was medium in body. This flavor profile hung around until 1/3 mark when the cigar developed a tanginess. It was not sharp, but perhaps what Bucanero was shooting for in this cigar...spicy. There was a definite cocoa taste on the finish, pleasant. At the mid-point, the flavors mellowed out and declined somewhat. It did maintain a basic coffee profile with cocoa on the finish, but became much less interesting. :0 On the back end there were some black tea and charred flavors. Nice cigar.
I enjoyed the Bucanero Salsa Torpedo. It had a good flavor profile, but became much less interesting at the midpoint. Makes you wonder how much of the cigar the tasters at CA actually smoke. Was it a 90? Not in my humble opinion. I rate this cigar a nice solid B.
Arturo Fuente Cuban Belicoso Sun Grown
My second cigar of the evening was one of my favorite "bargain" sticks. In fact, for $5.50, there are few cigars better.
This was a good looking cigar, with a nice, dark, oily sun grown wrapper. The only flaw in the wrapper that I saw was actually caused by application of the cedar and black band at the foot. The cedar had actually been creased and this left an indention in the cigar. Anyway, the pre-light nose was primarily of cedar with coffee and leather undertones. The pre-light draw was very open.
This cigar lit easily and the draw stayed very open. Now, I happen to like an open draw, but I would guess that this cigar was actually too open for the liking of many cigar smokers. Smoke production was excellent, with billows produced at each puff. The ash was white and firm. Had a couple of burn issues on the second half. Needed one correction and then the cigar decided to start tunneling a bit. Took some work, but kept it going. The work I put into it had a cost, however, as the cigar burned a little hot on the back end.
I really like the taste of these cigars. It started out with some nice smokey leather tastes and coffee. This quickly settled into a primary coffee flavor with a smokiness undertone that added a very pleasant dimension to the smoke.
Near the mid-point, the cigar developed a little more strength and put out some toasty wood flavors to compliment the coffee. The finish was primarily of leather and coffee. As the cigar neared the back end, the smokey flavores increased and some charred wood appeared. Very good tasting cigar.Now, I have had AF Cuban Belicosos that I would rate an A- or even an A. However, the burn problems with this one kept it from reaching its true potential. I have to rate this cigar a B+. It was still a better tasting cigar than the 90-rated Salsa.
