Cigar Review: Torch Habano by Veritas Cigars

Vitola: Toro
Size: 6” x 50 ring gauge
MSRP $7.60
Review samples provide by Veritas Cigars

Background

I got an email…well, judging from all the reviews that have popped up recently, I think a few other people got the email, too…from Chris Weber, the Vice President of Veritas Cigars. Veritas Cigars is responsible for the “Torch” line of cigars, available in 3 wrapper varieties, according to the literature Chris sent my way. He did send me multiple samples of both Habano and Connecticut wrapped cigars; I sent one of the Habanos out to Keith and smoked a couple others before this review sample. I like to give a little more “exposition” to a new stick, but I couldn’t get the company’s website to work right for me, so I can just tell you what was on the brochure:

Hand-rolled in Esteli, Nicaragua, Veritas bring you solid blends, encapsulating every little flavorful nuance within the tobacco we use. We age our pylons (sic…should be “pilones” I believe) to bring out the flavor and aroma from every aspect of the leaf. Long filler throughout every smoke. Pick up a Torch today and join our riot.

The Torch Habano I am smoking for this review has Nicaraguan filler (Jalapa & Ometepe) and binder, along with a Sun Grown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper leaf. 

Prelight

As usual, let’s start with the band, which should give us a general feel for the overall theme of the packaging. In this case, the band is black, white, red, and silver, depicting a generic cityscape with cigar-wielding fists thrust into the air. The fists are wielding said cigars in the same manner as the rioting villagers might when they also grabbed their pitchforks and started chasing down the ogre or the good doctor’s misunderstood creature. It’s an interesting and unique look.

The wrapper leaf was a dark tan color, not the darkest Ecuadorian Habano I’ve seen…not the lightest. It was quite oily, though, which isn’t all that common. The head had a tight, neat pigtail, while the foot was closed. Giving the cigar a good whiff, I picked up rich cedar and barnyard notes. The closed foot was mostly the same, except more earth than wood there. The prelight draw was excellent and had a fairly strong sweetness that reminded me of dried fruit, along with some earth and a touch of pepper.

Flavor

The Torch Habano lit easily and evenly, throwing out flavors of earth, cedar, graham, red pepper, and raisin right from the beginning. The retrohale had more cedar and pepper spice. As I got into the meat of the first third, I found the body to be on the plus-side of medium and the balance to be quite good, with plenty of savory and sweet flavors playing off each other.

As I worked my way into the second third, I noted that the flavor of cedar was taking a more leading role, with the earthy and sweet flavors dying down a bit. The pepper spice diminished significantly on the palate, although there was a good deal left on the nose. Continuing through the second third, the flavor deadened a bit for a while, then came back to a dry, graham sweetness and more wood, with just a touch of coffee bean.

In the last third, the pepper increased to a medium level and I got more earth and cedar with a lesser amount of sweetness.

Construction

This sample had it all together; the draw was great, the burn line was straight enough, the ash was solid. The first sample I had less luck with, but I did burn it the same day it showed up at my house, so let’s just call that “stupidity” on my part.

Value

The Torch Habano was a solid smoking experience for about seven-and-a-half-to-eight bucks.

Conclusions

The Torch Habano was a good smoke, but had a few places where the flavor died a bit. When it was “on” the experience was very good, with a nice, medium body and plenty of complexity. It’s something I wouldn’t mind doing again and shows good promise for an early release from a new company.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10