Thought I would post to this thread instead of starting a new one. I decided to smoke a Carlos Torano Tribute 2003 and 2004 back to back. Here is my review.
Carlos Torano Tribute 2003 Churchill
This cigar had a light wrapper with a few veins and minor seams. It was a very attractive cigar. The pre-light nose was mild, primarily of mild earth and cedar. The pre-light draw was open and easy. The cigar just felt good in the mouth.
The cigar lit very easily and the draw stayed just about perfect. Each puff coaxed mouthfuls of medium-bodied smoke from the cigar. The ash was very white and firm, staying on for an inch at a time. The cigar smoked cool throughout. It began to get soft near the back end, but never changed the burn profile. It burned just about as even as possible...not touch ups or corrections needed. Great construction.
The initial taste was creamy with predominant coffee flavors. There was just a hint of citrus on the finish as this point. The cigar started and remained very smooth. It developed a bit of tanginess after about an inch and a half. Toward the midpoint, the creaminess expanded and a raw vanilla undertone reared its head. The cigar finished with the creamy coffee flavors that it started with. Nice flavors.
This cigar showed great construction and an incredibly inoffensive flavor profile. Overall, I rate this cigar a B+.
Carlos Torano Tribute 2004 Robusto
Would have loved to have smoked the same vitola as the 2003, but just didn't have one on hand. This robusto had a very dark maduro wrapper, though with some inconsistencies in the color of the wrapper. The pre-light nose was very mild, primarily of coffee beans and earth. The pre-light draw was excellent, promising a fine smoking cigar.
The cigar lit very easily and the promised draw remained. This cigar smoked well, with huge volumes of thick, medium-bodied smoke generated with each hearty puff. The cigar burned as sharp as a razor, amazingly even for so dark maduro. The robusto smoked cool until near the end when it heated up on me. The ash was very white and firm, much like the 2003. Once again, very well constructed.
The initial puff on this cigar reminded me of why I enjoy a maduro Padron Anni so much. There was this hint of spice mixed in a swirl of charred wood, coffee, and sweetness. This initial nirvana faded a bit, but the coffee and charred wood remained to provide a very pleasurable medium-bodied flavor profile. At around the mid-way point, it picked up a bit of the same spice again, not sweet, not hot, not sour, not bitter, but a tongue teasing combination of all the above. Unfortunately, it was only a brief interlude. The solid coffee and charred wood remainded until I put the cigar down. Very good tasting cigar.
While this cigar was good, I can't put it on the same level with the Padron 1964 Anniversary or Serie 1926 maduros. Most of those smoke like an "A" cigar with an "A+" thrown in every once in a while. I rate this cigar an A-.
