Torcido Robusto

“Blue Shoes”

This was the most difficult of the non-Cuban CotMs to obtain. I had to order it directly from “Just for Him”, which is a shop for which the Torcido cigars are rolled. There is very little information on the flavor profile of this stick, as the owners, Christian and Jessica Hutson, want people to make up their own minds about the stick. The robusto is nicknamed “Blue Shoes” after a fellow they call “Blue,” but I don’t know much more about it beyond that.

Statistics

CotM: August 2012







Chosen by: kdubb666

kdubb666





Shape: Parejo







Size: 5 x 50







Country of Origin: Dominican Republic







Wrapper: Dominican Cuban-seed Sun-grown Oscuro







Binder: Dominican







Filler: Dominican







Color: Oscuro



Oscuro





Strength: Medium-Full







Price Paid: $8.50







Smoke Date: 5/23/2013

5/23/2013





Age: 2 weeks

Accessories Used

Cuban Crafters Perfect Cutter (Silver & Carbon Fiber), Bugatti B-2002 lighter with “pyramid” double-flame torch, Handmade English walnut ashtray made by wedgewoodrings.

Pairing

Huang Zhi Xiang Dancong loose leaf oolong tea in a small porcelain teapot (Adagio PersonaliTEA) and matching Asian style (no handle) teacup. This is a medium-bodied, but extremely complex tea. The pairing was a complete success. The nutty, flowery oolong really brought out the chcolate of the Torcido.

Appearance/Nose

My first impression was that this might be the prettiest cigar I have ever seen. The wrapper was dark, almost black, but shined with reddish brown hues as if it was made of silk. It had a bushy little pigtail on the cap, and the foot had a “foldover skirt”, which I haven’t seen on other sticks, but is a really nice touch. The band was a simple black and silver with the Torcido name and a silver twisted braid. From the nose I got coffee and nuts.

Construction

The wrapper was smooth, dark and shimmery. A couple of medium-sized veins ran longitudinally from about the halfway point to the foot.

It had both a bushy pigtail triple-cap, and an elegant foldover foot that reminded me of a ballgown. No soft spots. This cigar felt solid. The burn was steady, but got a bit crooked, or wibbly at times, and canoed at one point. I touched it up maybe 5 – 6 times over the course of the smoke. The ash was a brilliant white and held on for at least an inch at a time.

Cold Draw

Surprisingly easy, despite the closed foot. Tasted strongly of cedar.

Smoking

First third

The fold over foot slowly opened like a flower as I toasted it. The first flavors were of cedar and pepper. Chocolate and molasses came through on the finish. The retrohale was dark chocolate, cedar, and red pepper.

Second third

The pepper and wood really turned up the dial in the middle, most noticeably on the retrohale. The cedar was now accompanied by hickory smoke. The pepper had notes of black pepper, jalapeño, and cayenne. The retrohale was flavor packed and immensely satisfying. The burn got a bit weird at one point, so I touched it up.

Later, the stick began canoeing at the end of this third, requiring a large touch up. An unexpected gust of wind knocked the ash off into my lap. I scooped up what I could and dumped it in the ashtray.

Final third

The retrohale was now a chocolate brownie laced with chili. I continued to be impressed by the retrohale on this stick. There was definitely a caramel pastry quality involved. The mouth flavors remained relatively unchanged: cedar, pepper, chocolate, but the retrohale was considerably bolder and more complex.

Notes

Draw: Easy

Easy





Body: Medium in the mouth, Extra-Full on the retrohale

Medium in the mouth, Extra-Full on the retrohale





Primary Flavors: Cedar, pepper, chocolate

Cedar, pepper, chocolate





Smoke Output: Full

Full





Smoke Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Overall

The magic in this cigar was in the retrohale. It provided one of the most enjoyable bursts of flavor I’ve experienced. The presentation was phenomenal, but the burn was all over the place despite numerous touch ups. Still, The amazing retrohale made up for most of the shortcomings. Being hard to get is going to be a problem for some, but if you can get one, do so. Make sure your lighter has plenty of fuel for touch-ups, and retrohale every single puff.

Rating