Plasencia Reserva Original Toro: History in the smoking?

With a history starting back in 1865, Plasencia Cigars are responsible for producing cigars for at least 30 different brands. Their Reserva Original line – an organic Nicaraguan puro, was the first entirely organic cigar to make it to market. Rolled using tobacco that has been aged for 5 years after fermentation, how good is this cigar with five generations of experience behind it?

The cigar was a delight to look at, with barely any veins on the wrapper. It felt well packed from head to foot and left a gentle oil on my fingers. The three white bands with their gold writing looked elegant and aromas of hay, cocoa and sherbet enticed me to slip the foot band off and get on with smoking the cigar. Having cut the head with my v-cutter, the draw was beautifully easy with a touch of liquorice and cocoa.

Once I lit the Plasencia Reserva Original Toro, my first mouthfuls of smoke were rich and strongly flavoured a 70-80% cocoa dark chocolate. A tickle of hazelnut joined the party as the flavour intensity from the lighting died down. Smoking my way through the first third was a lovely experience. Hints of charcoal and old pipe tobacco danced around with fresh honey and whispers of vanilla. The smoke was entrancing to watch as winding tendrils floated into the air.

Wanting to pick up on the sweet and cocoa notes in the cigar, I mixed myself a Punisher cocktail. The lovely blend of bourbon, coffee liqueur and brown crème de cacao was the perfect compliment to the cigar. The woodiness from the bourbon added an extra depth to the Reserva Original Toro whilst the slight bitterness from the coffee liqueur balanced the sweeter notes.

The middle third of the cigar was equally delightful with elegant flavours tantalising my taste buds every draw. I was transported to the moors during the summer when the heather was coming into bloom and the moist peat gave of an sweet earthiness. The smoke had started to fill the room with aromas of ground fenugreek and fresh greenery. The cocoa was still very much still part of the flavour giving the Plasencia Reserva Original Toro a rich depth.

By the time I entered the final third, I was so bewitched by the cigar that I nearly forgot to remove the final Plasencia band. Notes of cedar and a piquancy of freshly ground pepper had stepped up, but nothing to overpower the underlying sweetness. It was then I finally laid the cigar to rest. Having smoked it down to the last half centimetre I was left in a pleasant reverie planning how I would fit more of these beautiful cigars into my humidor.

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Plasencia Reserva Original Toro Cigar Details