How awesome would it be to have a cigar tailor made to your tastes? I’m sure David Garofalo would know, considering I’m about to smoke one with his name on it. Back in 2010, on David’s 50th birthday, Nick Perdomo of Perdomo Cigars surprised him with a stogie of his very own. If you’re familiar with The Cigar Authority podcast or Two Guys Smoke Shop, you may already know that our friend is a fan of mild sticks. This Connecticut shade cigar comes to us from Esteli, Nicaragua out of the Perdomo factory in four different sizes. The one I’ll be looking into today is the Garofalo Toro.
What am I smoking?
- Cigar Review: Garofalo
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Factory: Tabacalera Perdomo
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua (Esteli, Jalapa)
- Length: 6 Inches
- Ring Gauge: 50
- Vitola: Toro
- Strength: Mild
Packaging & Design
The Garofalo toro arrives in a lightly colored wooden box, which is easily opened and closed since it has no latches on it. Burned into the wood on the lid is a decorative “G” with Garofalo underneath it. I like the look of the logo, it has a flowing style and is adorned with highlights of gold and white, the colors of class.
The band carries the same color scheme, but with a pinstripe design around the back and sides. It’s printed on a glossy embossed paper that has a high-quality feel to it.
First Impressions
This cigar is very well constructed, the veins and seams are at a minimum and the caps are placed with care. I love the feel of this stick; it has a velvety smooth, light maple colored wrapper on it and feels weighty in the hand. The Garofalo is packed firmly with only a slight bit of give when squeezed. The filler tobaccos are a balanced mix of dark and light leaves that give off a woody and peppery aroma.
Although this is a mild cigar, the pre light draw gives me a feeling that this will be a full-flavored smoke. With that said, I admit that I am not as fond to mild cigars as I am to strong ones. I feel there aren’t many mild cigars out there that offer the amount of flavor I get from bold ones. For me to want a mild cigar, I have to really be in the mood for one. And as fate would have it, tonight I’m in one of those moods.
The Smoke
The Garofalo lights fast and easy, giving off aromas of cedar and toasted walnuts. The first few puffs surprised me, as I was expecting light flavors due to the mild appearance of it. But right away I could tell this ain’t your granddad’s Connecticut shade cigar; huge flavors of nuts, sweet white bread and aged tobacco are present. On the back end, there is a little hit of pepper that keeps the profile lively and bright.
Into the halfway mark of this smoke, I noticed the flavor begin to change up from the beginning. The pepper I was getting has increased a bit to hang out with new flavors of salted almonds and earth. The wrapper is leaving a molasses-like sweetness on my lips, which is something I enjoy in a good Connecticut.
Closing up, the Garofalo toro is now a full-flavored, mild-bodied cigar. Pepper and toasted bread are the front runners at this point, and the sweetness has faded a bit to bring out the lean and rich tastes Jalapa and Esteli are famous for. Although this was a mild cigar, it certainly didn’t disappoint in the flavor department. Very enjoyable.
Final Thoughts
Be sure to take your time when smoking this one, it’s the only way to appreciate the complexities and flavors of this cigar. As I said, I’m not a huge fan of Connecticut shade wrappers. I have a small list of mild cigars that I will smoke when I’m looking for an easygoing experience, and I just added Garofalo to that list. This was a very well balanced and flavorful smoke that kept surprising me all the way down to the nub.
Score Breakdown
-Appearance: 19
-Flavor: 18
-Balance: 18
-Burn: 18
-Quality: 20
Rating: 93
Price: $6.79 / $114.99 (Box of 20)
Garofalo Toro
Garofalo Toro Burn
Garofalo Toro Finish
