Vitola: Toro Grande- 5.75” x 60 ring gauge
- MSRP $10
- Provided by Caoba Cigars
Background
This is the third installment in a 5-part look at what Caoba Cigars has to offer. When you have a moment, please check out my look at their Oro and Quisqueyano blends.
Today’s blend is the Magnificos, what they have described to me as a medium-bodied blend of Dominican tobacco with a Mexican San Andres wrapper. And that’s about as much as I can give you because that’s about as much as I found.
Again, this cigar was provided by Caoba Cigars and their American distribution partners, Modi Cigar Distribution. Thank you to Adam Zuber for giving me a chance to experience a wide range of Caoba’s blends.
Prelight
The band on this stick was a silver background with bright bronze foil and some embossing. I have to say it’s probably the best of the bands that I’ve seen so far from this brand, mostly because it’s a fairly simple design and execution. The wrapper of the cigar itself was a medium brown (this is San Andres, but not “Maduro”) and it had a slightly oily feel under my fingers. The wrapper had an aroma of rich coffee beans and ripe earth. The foot of the cigar was more earth, with touches of bread and wood, but honestly it had the least “Dominican” aroma of any of Caoba’s blends that I’ve smoked so far.
The head of this cigar was very flat, like the Quisqueyano I smoked earlier in this series, so I opted again for my punch. I did a “double-barrel punch” this time since it was a 60 ring gauge, although the two holes ended up blurring into each other a bit and just making it seem like a wide oval punch. The resulting draw was very good, though, and tasted of bread and coffee mostly.
Flavor
The Magnificos fired up fairly easily for a 60 ring gauge. It’s been a while since I’ve burned something this size for review. The first few puffs brought espresso bean and earth up front, cedar and graham after that, and a light red pepper burn on the finish. On the nose I got a roasted nut and more coffee bean. Surprisingly, there was almost no pepper on the retrohale at the beginning. As the first third burned along, I was pleased by the medium-bodied coffee notes that led the way, accompanied by a slight sweetness.
The cigar burned fairly quickly for a 60 gauge and I was soon into the second third, which saw an increase in earthiness and an almost chocolatey sweetness coming into the picture. There was still a good cedar and graham note after initial puffing and a tiny peppery finish.
The last third of the Magnificos had more espresso bean mixed with the chocolate while earthy notes slipped a little. There was still very little pepper on either palate or nose, making it probably the least peppery Mexican-wrapped cigar I have ever had.
Construction
The draw was very good. The burn line was even enough and the ash was fairly solid, with just a little flaking into my lap.
Value
Good cigar and fair price point, so full point for value.
Conclusions
The Magnificos was the second Caoba blend in a row that was medium-bodied, mellow and very pleasing. This one wasn’t quite as complex, but it was very smooth and easy-going, with a great coffee flavor most of the way that would make it ideal for a morning smoke with a cup o’ joe. Magnificos is definitely one I can recommend for less experienced cigar enthusiasts who want something in the “new school” Dominican vein with a steady pleasing flavor.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10
