Troya Clasico LIV Toro

Score: 9.2

A luxurious Nicaraguan puro blended by Jose "Pepin" Garcia. Senor Garcia is a hot commodity right now, so expectations were high when I opened the box. Appearance-wise, the wrappers had an appealing, dark-chocolate color with a lush, oily patina. Construction-wise, the cigar was neatly rolled and well-packed, giving it a nice heft, which felt good in the hand.

The pre-lit draw was easy, earthy and somewhat peppery. The blend consists of Jalapa Valley-grown Corojo and Criollo filler and binder tobaccos with a Corojo Oscuro wrapper topped by a Cuban-style triple cap. Once lit, the smoke was thick, creamy and robust with a peppery finish. Shortly after, the cigar rounded out to a very well-balanced smoke that bloomed into a mélange of earthy, woody and leathery flavors laced with an appealing sweetness.

Although I expected the cigar to intensify even more as it neared the end, it held fast retaining its robust character without becoming too heady. However, I think smokers who are not used to full-bodied cigars of this caliber may find it a bit much. Note that I'm writing this review based on having smoked three LIV Toros over a period of four months, and the cigar improved dramatically, even during this relatively short home aging period.

So, it looks like another great job by "Pepin" Garcia. If I had to compare this cigar to some of his other creations, I'd say the Troya Clasico comes closest to the Don "Pepin" Garcia "Blue Label" series. Still relatively new to the marketplace, the Clasico series could easily put Troya in the running as a major contender among the top full-bodied cigars. It's much more upmarket in price then their previous selections, but well worth it. Recommended as a rewarding, full-flavored evening cigar.

Appearance: 9
Construction: 10
Burn: 9
Draw: 9
Aroma: 9
Flavor: 9
Final Score: 9.2

Suggested retail price: $8.80 U.S./cigar