Carlos Toraño 1916 Cameroon Robusto Review

Cigar: Carlos Toraño 1916 Cameroon
Size: Robusto 5.5" x 52
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Havana seed Nicaraguan
Filler: Honduras and Nicaragua
Price: ~$3 on cbid, MSRP ~$6-7

Initial impression/Pre-light
As a Packers fan the green and gold band grabs me immediately. There is some raised embossing on the slimmer band, and both are well printed and attractive. Sadly, the band is the most visually appealing thing about this cigar. The head is lumpy and misshapen, and I can see several pretty good veins. There's a soft spot right at the main band.

The 1916 comes with a cedar sleeve, which is smart, because if I'd seen under the sleeve in a store I wouldn't have purchased the cigar. Not sure if the cedar has anything to do with this, but there's some heavy blackish-green discoloration all around the foot. It's not mold...I don't think. Haven't seen anything like it but I guess I'll smoke it and see if I die.

At least the cap holds up to a gentle punch, but the prelight draw is extremely loose with only a very mild sweet hay. Not a good start.

I've enjoyed several Toraño cigars lately, including two from the Exodus line and the Vault last weekend. I have pretty high hopes going in on this one. It's a very nice 70 degrees F this morning, so I brewed up a strong pot of coffee to go with this Cameroon.

The cigar has been resting for about 4 weeks at 65% RH.

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1st Third
No issues with the light, but the draw is still terribly loose. Smoke output is subpar, light grey, and thin. There is almost no flavor at all, certainly not the cinnamon-spice I hope for in a Cameroon. The cigar seems to be burning a little fast, but not hot. I'm able to get about 1" of flaky, grey ash to develop. The burnline is slightly wavy but decent.

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2nd Third
I begin the 2nd third still hopeful. I end the 2nd third disappointed. I finally pick up a little cinnamon, but the flavor and strength are still quite mild. Smoke output picks up slightly to maybe average. The best that can be said is the burnline is good.

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Final Third
I'm not hopeful anymore, so at least I'm not disappointed by the final section. The faint cinnamon is changing though - so this cigar isn't totally one-dimensional after all! Sadly, the change isn't for the better. I'm getting a strong, sharp cedar. I'd say this is the most distinctive flavor I can remember picking up from a cigar. Mostly I can say a flavor is reminiscent of, or hints at, and so on. Not so in this case: the cedar flavor is something I've tasted before, just a few months ago in fact. It was when I was burning some cedar logs. It wasn't bad in an outdoor fire pit, but I wasn't kneeling over the embers huffing it either. It's certainly not something I'm looking for in a cigar.

The only good I can say is the burn remains even and the cedar aroma isn't awful, the taste just isn't terribly appealing. Smoke output is remains moderate.

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Overall thoughts
I wouldn't pay $2 for this one, let alone anything like the MSRP. While it wasn't the worst I've ever had in any one category, it really didn't have many redeeming traits beyond the correct burning and lack of retouches. The cigar was visually unattractive and loosely packed. The first two thirds were just too mild. While I guess I can't level the "one-dimensional" complaint against the 1916, after I tasted that sharp cedar I wished I could just go back to the blandness and light spice of the first part of the cigar.

I hope this was one bad example, given my good impression so far of Toraño generally. Perhaps it needed more rest, having come in just a month ago. I do remember it being described as solidly medium in character when I bought it, so the overall mildness was a surprise - again, perhaps this was just a one-of dud. Since I have 4 more, I'll give them 6 months and see if they get any better.

Followup notes: I have smoked another one or two since writing this review, and while they haven't been terrible they haven't wowed me either. I'd pass on this one in the future.

I believe this was the first review ever I wrote. It's fun and funny reading it a year and a half later, and I like looking back and seeing how my photography has changed too.