In 1896 BP Topper started making Topper Cigars in McSherrystown, Pennsylvania. Three generations of Topper’s have manufactured & distributed hand crafted Topper Cigars with Cuban Long Filler & Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers. This passion for the highest quality cigars is now continued by the Fourth Generation with a celebratory cigar. After 120 years, they now bring you a very special limited production hand crafted cigar paying homage to the long history of their family in the cigar industry.
Cigar Review: Topper Grande
Wrapper: USA (Pennsylvania Broadleaf)
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Length: 6.25″
Ring Gauge: 54
Vitola: Perfecto
Cutter: Lotus Jaws
Lighter: Black Label Domininator
The Pre-Light: The Topper Grande comes packaged in 10 count boxes featuring 5 perfectos each of Nicaraguan Habano and Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrappers. While Topper once made their cigars in the USA, they turn to the Dominican Republic for these cigars that are made at the Reyes factory.
The Pennsylvania Broadleaf is in tribute to the origin of the family company which traces its cigar making roots back to Pennsylvania. This perfecto isn’t one of the most beautiful cigars, but then again Topper has never won any beauty pageants. The cigar has a rustic appearance with a heavy brindle like coloring. The 6.25 x 54 is well packed with no voids, but it lacks that polished appearance many smokers have come to expect.
The Look: Once the cap is clipped there is a tight cold draw which is expected given the shape of the cigar. While some people choose to snip the foot of the vitola, we don’t recommend that. The cold draw has a mineral metallic like note to it, but there is also a subtle sweetness that is reminiscent of dark chocolate. Under the nose the wrapper and foot have an earthy aroma.
Once the cigar is toasted and fully lit the best way to describe the cigar is Pennsylvania. There is a distinct mineral taste that I get from this type of tobacco. Is this a bad thing? Personally I think it isn’t as it offers a nice change of pace from the typical profiles of the popular tobacco used throughout the industry.
As we smoke past the foot the cigar opens up and we move into the first third of this stick that celebrates 120 years in the business. There are notes of apricots and dark chocolate that mix together creating the dominant profile. There are also notes of black pepper and earth. The finish is relatively short.
Moving into the second third the Topper Grande 120 becomes more complex. There is a steak like note to the cigar, much like the grill marks on an unseasoned filet mignon. That note remains dominant with a few subtleties in the background of dark chocolate, cedar, and earth. Around the half way point the steak has been cleared from the table as hints of cinnamon develop with continued notes of apricots and earth. The finish is longer as the second third comes to a close and lovers of Pennsylvania Broadlear will really enjoy the profile .
The last third of this offering from Topper sees some notes of cinnamon stay, and the retrohale of the cigar has notes of nuts, pepper and earth. While the depth of flavor is less in the last third it is still quite enjoyable. The cigar concluded with notes of licorice and earth with a moderate finish.
The Finish: The first time I ever had Pennsylvania Broadleaf was a small brand called Panacea at a shop in New Jersey, I was instantly hooked on the cigar. Over time those cigars lost their quality and I have search for a stick that provided that experience. This cigar provides it and so much more. Granted the profile of the wrapper isn’t for everyone, but if you ware looking for a nice change of pace, the Topper Grande 120th Broadleaf is that cigar. If you are curious about the Habano version, I plan to review it in a few weeks when I return from my honeymoon unless Derek beats me to it.
Score: 91
Price: $13.99 / $125.99 (Box of 10)
Topper Grande 120 Anniversary
Topper Grande 120 Anniversary Burn
