B"H
[camera shy/smoked by the light of the moon]
THE CIGAR
Kafie 1901 Cigars Sumatra
6 x 54 Toro Bello
w. Ecuadorian Shade Grown Sumatra
b. Honduran
f. Dominican and Nicaraguan
I previously reviewed this blend in its Robusto format HERE.
I am reviewing this Toro on several months humi time after being somewhat disappointed earlier.
Sample courtesy of Dr. Gaby Kafie, brand owner.
K A P L O W I T Z SCALE
K least, Z most
Construction OCombustion L
Flavors L
Body O
Strength P
&
Sweet WSour W
Salty O
Bitter L
Umami P
&
Complexity WNuance W
Transition
Balance L
Smoothness W
Spicy W
Woody I
Vegetal O
Earthy O
Chemical P
&
Animal ASpicy W
Woody I
Vegetal O
Earthy O
Chemical P
SUMMATION
Very handsome stick with an exciting reddish hue high-up undertone with a leathery brown topper. Band's color fits beautifully and serves to showcase each coloring bit. A nice marbling of espresso bean sits atop that and under a quite healthy sheen. Highlighted on the draw, there's a tangy salted somewhat acidic attachment to a lively red fruit. Larger vitola, more filler influence -- read: more Dominican... which I usually adore.
This offering being well on the fast side of paced (bearing in mind I smoke verily slow), is the main knock on its combustion -- which too might incorporate construction via a quite light hand-feel. Riding shotgun in combustion gripes is an occasional conical burn. Construction suffers again via a softening of pack, altho seams and draw hold fast. Draw is a lovely medium tension throughout. Fruits sweeten via sweet hickory with a delicate molasses attachment at finish. Post finish is very clean. Mouth-feel is a woody tobacco tingle and nigh perfect moisture, tho spitty in 3/3. Primary notes are that sweetened wood. A leathery earth under-belly holding up the aromatic tobacco middling that has primary notes cascading onto it.
Very solid ash of pale grey burnt offerings on a mainly even burn which requires zero touch-up. Darkens in 3/3. Big smoke out-put satiates (tho at times flirts with wispy flavors) smoke-hole and gives a room-note of syrupy leathery woods. A bit unbalanced as noted above in the primary taste section sweet/sour/savory; and again in woody/spicy/animal. Finally, in the ol' flavors/profile/strength. Some astringent happenings occur. Body is far less rich and lacks some smoothness of texture whenst held up to the Robusto offering -- nuances and complexity pale here, too. Some bite threatens, more so as the Kafie Sumatra progresses. Smoke warms up at the band, where there's too, a nice espresso bean zetz.
SMOKE TIME
75mins
FINAL GRADE
****B+****
EDITOR'S NOTE
What a difference a Vitola doth make, gentlepersons. Alone, this is a fine 'nuff blend -- which pales alongside its Robusto brethren.
L'shalom
L'shalom