Cigar:            Garry Nold Florida Torpedo

Size:       52 x 6"  Pointed torpedo, i.e., not tapered like a pyramid, but straight-sided with a pointed head.

Country:    ?

Wrapper:    Maduro

Binder:           ?

Filler:           Hon/Nic

Flavor Strength:Medium

NicotineStength:Medium

Date Received:    2005-08-17

Suspected Age:    14 months

Vendor/Price:     Gift from Garry Nold, ASC.  Thanks, Garry!

Hype:       "I have a friend that used to work for a boa-lift company, half the company is here near Seattle, the second half is in Miami. I mentioned to him that I would like to try some Padron Fumas and would appreaciate it if he would snag me a box on one of his trips. Of course he agread.  Forward to the next trip: He mentions my desire to his partner (a Cuban Ex-Pat), to which the partner says"no problemo". They get to his last day there and my friend reminds him of the cigars, to which his partner says:"Padrons suck, we'll get him some good cigars, some freshly rolled ones " My friend says:well, ok". 

They drive to Coral Gables to a cuban neighborhood. Drive up to a small

tract house with bars on the windows, no airconditioning and knock at the

door. A small old cuban lady opens the door and the partner says;"First

we'll have some Cuban coffee", my buddy is a coffee fan and they sit in this woman's kitchen and have coffee. After the coffe, the partner says:"OK, now we get the cigars", they go out into the back yard where there is a large garden shed with no windows but 2 ac units on it. Into the shed they go where there are 6 rolling tables setup and 3 of them have older cuban ex-pats sitting there rolling these cigars. They get 2 bundles, one of Robusto sized and one of Torpedo's.

My friend calls me from the airport and says,"well, I got you some cigars,

they are fresh rolleds". I of course have heard very bad things about fresh

rolled cigars and am a little worried. They turn out to be great and the

rest is history."

Beverage(s):      Water, Bridgeport ESB

Smoke time:       2:00

Date:       2006-10-05

Posted to ASC:    2006-10-05

Overall score:    4.0 / 5.0

Sock color: red

Overall:    Sweet nuttiness dominated the first third though a floral character formed a late minor addition.  The floral character progressed to a fruity woodiness in the middle third.  Aftertaste was consistently sweet.  Aromatics built in the last third resolving the fruit wood to a cherry or apple.  Burn was somewhat problematic throughout, but never got away.  Draw was a little more open than I prefer.  Smoke volume was variable, sometime being copious and sometimes less so.  Ash was firm and consistently held to an inch.  Finish was fruity and sweet.  Would be nice to have a few around for those times when I had the time for a long smoke.  I liked the maduro better than the natural.

Ambience:   Evening in the sunroom working on my 2007 departmental budgets. 

Appearance: It's a big cigar.  Mottled, medium dark maduro wrapper with an oily sheen.  Slightly yielding along length.  Pointy head is somewhat rough. 

Cut & Prelight:   Leather and coffee aroma with some nose tingling spice.  Cut very well yielding an open draw.  Sweet grass draw flavor with pepper and a lip tingle. 

First third:      Initial sweet and sour with thick smoke and sweet peppery aftertaste.  Sourness quickly faded leaving a sweet slightly green nuttiness with a sweet finish.  The greeness also faded quickly leaving a sweet nuttiness.  Aftertaste is quite sweet, even floral.  Very firm ash, dropping at 1". 

Second third:     No longer floral but somewhat fruity plus a bit of hardwoodiness.  Still sweet in the aftertaste.  More wood. 

Third third:      Regaining something of the previous floral character, or adding an aromatic dimension to the fruitiness.  Aftertaste continues to be sweet.  The flavor has all coming together into a fruit wood, such as apple or cherry.  As the nub was approached aromatics intensified though retained the fruity woodiness.  It also became reluctant to burn and was abandoned at about 1.5".

Thanks, Garry!