

If the adage that ‘80 percent of a cigar’s flavor comes from its wrapper’ is true, then you could take the opportunity to be treated to some pure gold smoke! That’s right. California-based cigar maker Daniel Marshall has come up with what he calls a 24-karat DM 2 Gold Torpedo, essentially cigars hand-wrapped in 24 carat gold leaf! The never-before invention, conceived by Marshall and made by Giusto Manetti Battiloro, one of the world’s oldest gold-leaf manufactures involves wrapping smooth gold leaves onto Red Label Cigar that takes a painstaking 45 minutes each. Smoking up the Gold Torpedo is way different from a normal cigar experience. It is preferred that light is done with the hotter flame of a butane torch, because of the high flashpoint of gold compared with the relatively instant combustion of tobacco. The Nicaraguan puro cigar consists of a full bodied Jalapa filler blend, a milder Esteli binder and a rich Cuban seed wrapper aged five years underneath the gold leaf.



However, the tobacco burns faster than the gold, due to which the burn rate of the otherwise easy-drawing cigar is impeded, requiring numerous relightings or constant puffing. In spite of these hindrances, smoking from a 24-carat cigar and seeing the gold turn into ash in front of their eyes is a superlative experience for cigar-connoisseurs. If you happen to fancy one yourself, Daniel Marshall makes a 61/4 x 54 sized torpedo priced at $200 each and $1,000 for humidor of 5 cigars.

[Robb Report]