Carlos Torano Reserva Selecta Maduro
Country: Honduran
Wrapper: Costa Rican Broadleaf
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Dominican/Honduras/Nicaragua
What a gem of a stogie! I decided to review this stogie to compliment the review done on the Connecticut Shade wrapper version of this stogie by our friends at Keepers of the Flame. What can I say? They have the same good taste in stogies that I do.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a sucker for packaging. It keeps the wife off my back as long as the stogie looks cute. Women ¦ go figure. As long as the packaging keeps her attention off the price on the receipt then I don’t mind saying the packaging is cute. Most folks don’t like their stogies in tubes since you can’t roll the stogie thru your fingers to get a good feel for it or a thorough inspection. I understand that school of thought but when you’re dealing with such a fine stick, from a reliable maker like Torano, I can overlook it.
Out of the tube you’re greeted with a nice whiff of cedar and the chance to get a detailed look. The Reserva Selecta Maduro has a dark shiny Costa Rican wrapper that’s been aged 3-5 years. Smooth with a solid, but somewhat soft to the touch. The pre-lit taste is a nice sweet sensation with a hint of grassy undertones. I nipped the nipple, toasted the foot and we were off.
The first couple puffs were on the harsh side but within a matter of seconds the rich creaminess hits you. This Torano melts in your mouth like a fine chocolate. No bitterness or harshness in between draws.
Quality and beauty of construction is where this stogie truly stands out. The dark wrapper stays intact and even when you find yourself enjoying the creamy taste and drawing too often, the Reserva Selecta seems to know and adjusts itself so you don’t rush thru it. Its like a smart stogie. I don’t know how the folks at Torano do this or even if I’m explaining it correctly. The Costa Rican wrapper stayed intact and of course, no relighting, maintenance or anything was needed on my part. This gem was on cruise control and could smoke itself. I was just the lucky bastard who was along for the ride.
The aroma is pretty strong. You definitely smell the cedar notes from the cedar sleeve the stogie was wrapped in within the glass tube. I didn’t taste the cedar all that much while smoking but I could smell it in the air. As the Reserva Selecta moved into its final stages, it took on a herbal taste and surprisingly refreshed my palette, making it ready for another stogie.
Other reviews I’ve read made points about a tough draw. I think with the torpedoes it comes down to how much of the nipple you cut off. An earlier attempt at smoking one I used a v-cut on the nipple and I did get a tough draw in the beginning stages. The second & third time using my Palio & Xikar (yes I still own one) didn’t have the problem. So be careful with your cut, as anything more or less than perfect will probably affect the draw.
The Carlos Torano Reserva Selecta Maduro is a gem of a stogie! I hope Mr. Torano is proud of producing this quality smoke as much as I am proud to smoke it. If you haven’t given this gem a try, what are you waiting for? I’d give you other stogies to compare the Reserva Selecta to, but I’d be doing this stogie a disservice as its in a league of its own.
