United Cigars is a name that is well known in the industry with a mission to support cigar retailers along with consumers alike. They have made It a goal to ensure that premium cigars remain accessible to those who appreciate true cigar lounge experience. Their commitment to quality and tradition stretches back over a century and their reach extends to retailers and consumers across the country.
The United cigars natural toro is an extension to the core line of the United Cigar series which includes United Connecticut, United Maduro and United Natural. The Natural was originally released in a soft boxed pressed size and is now being offered in a round shape format in the Robusto, Toro, and Churchill sizes. To adjust to the change of the shape from boxed press to round, United Cigars applied a bit of a tweak to the blend.
UNDER THE LID:
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Filler: Dominican, Olor Tobaccos from Quesqueya
- Vitola: 6 x 54 Toro
- Factory: Tabacalera Magia Cubana Factory
- Released: February 22nd 2024
- Production: Regular
- Box Quantity: Box of 20
- MSRP: 8.50 single/ 145.00
The United cigars natural toro has an inviting presence from the start. The wrapper has a creamy brown coffee like hue with darker chocolate spots giving it a rustic appearance. Though the wrapper had quite a few visible veins along with a number of bumps, it added to its character. After applying some soft pressure, the construction appeared solid.
A single round cap was placed symmetrically. The filler at the foot of the cigar was light brown and equally distributed throughout. I took several deep sniffs of the raw tobacco and the smell of rich earth, and wet leather were present. A vegetal like smell was slightly detectable on two of the three cigars I smoked. A straight cut was then performed and a smooth draw with plenty of air flow was notable.
The patriotic band with stars and stripes on a red white a blue shield gives the cigar a great American appearance. It’s definitely a great cigar to smoke on any Patriotic American Holiday to show off your Patriotism and represent.
Performance Notes
First Third
After the immediate light up, the cigar opens with earthiness and mild notes of white pepper. After a few more puffs, just as the dry draw offered, the earthiness is at the forefront with the addition of some nuttiness. The flavor of the nuttiness is almost comparable to the outer hard hull/shell of a figure eight peanut like when you bite into it to break it apart. It leaves a dry roasted aftertaste. I’m getting a dry flavor leaving me with a dry mouth. I normally pair my cigars with water and found myself having to sip a bit more often. The burn is even, and the ash holds up pretty solid extending over an inch before transitioning into the second third.
Second Third
As I move on, the flavor profile does not change much. The white pepper is still present, and the earthiness is still lingering in the background. There was a noticeable touch of saltiness on the lips almost like the aftertaste from sipping on a salted rim beverage or the saltiness left on your palate after eating salted kettle potato chips. Dryness on the roof of my palate is still very prominent like a cottonmouth feeling. Still having to sip out of my water bottle more often than usual. Although the cigar had a slight vegetal smell before lighting up, I did not get it at all leaving the main flavors intact. It was a rustic, somewhat rugged start, however looking forward to seeing what the retrohale brings.
As the United cigars natural toro continues to burn evenly, solid construction is immediately evident, by the smoke output and the long ash. The retrohale revealed a new dimension of flavors. A smooth wave of black pepper emerged offering enough spice to awaken my senses without overwhelming or burning the nostrils. Alongside the black pepper, a pleasant nuttiness resurfaced different from the outer figure eight nutshell. It was more like what a roasted almond typically tastes like…slightly sweet and salty. It complimented the earthiness that was still present. The retro was warm and smooth, never too hot, allowing the flavors to unfold gracefully, making it a truly enjoyable transition.
Final Third
As I smoked on my way to the final third, the increase of strength made the current flavors of earth, nuts and black pepper more prominent. The pepper was at the forefront with the earthiness and the nuttiness dwindling. The sweetness of the almond was short lived. I was hoping for more nuances of flavors. I wanted to experience the taste and aroma of leather which I encountered at the pre-light and hoping for creaminess or more sweetness, but none ever transitioned.
Core flavors: Earth, salt, nuts
Strength: Medium +
Body: Medium
Complexity: Medium
Smokin Experience: I was hoping for more flavors to surface to keep me intrigued in the United cigars natural toro. The sensation of dryness on the tongue and on the roof of the mouth were present even throughout the final third. If salted peanuts and earthiness is in your wheelhouse, then this may be the perfect flavor profile for you. Perhaps pairing it with a cocktail would have enhanced the flavors and given me a refreshing mouthwatering feeling which I was looking for or maybe a sugar drink might have sweetened my taste buds. I’m curious to find out how the box press compares to smoking this new Vitola. I’m assuming since box-pressing can intensify flavors due to the tighter roll and slower burn, maybe the possibility of a sweeter profile is present. The new tweak to the new round Vitola might have introduced too much saltiness for my palate.
Purchase Recommendation: If your palate is craving salty nuts try a sample with a cold beer
Cigars smoked for the review: 3
Average smoking time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
