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The Torano family has kept a book that has served as a running log of their cigar blends since 1982. During the impressive 30-year stretch the book has been a blend “bible” of sorts for the Toranos, and many of their successful cigar releases over the years were first recorded therein, along with many other blends that the family felt held great potential but didn’t quite make the cut. The company’s “Blends From the Vault” cigar series is centered around blends that originated in the book but were never finalized.
The Torano Family’s second “Vault” release, Vault D-042 is a modification of a blend from the book that was finally tweaked to perfection and released at this year’s IPCPR trade show. D-042 features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around a proprietary filler blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos and a rare Pennsylvania leaf that the Torano family originally discovered while on a tobacco trip back in 1998. Out of the five sizes the D-042 is offered in, I chose the Robusto (5×52) for today’s review.
The cigar had a smooth brown wrapper with a few pronounced veins, and construction looked and felt to be quite solid. After clipping the neat triple cap on the cigar pre-light draws gave off a sweet and woody taste with a hint of cocoa.
The cigar lit up easily and opened with a full and smooth taste of creamy earth and spicy tobacco with a nice amount of pepper. The first few puffs of this cigar were already exhibiting a level of balance that even the best sticks out there don’t usually achieve until the onset of the second 3rd. About an inch in I began to pick up some subtle cocoa and a bit of malty sweetness on the finish. The draw was appropriately firm and the burn was straight all the way around.
The 2nd third was even smoother than the first, more cocoa, less pepper, and a long, rich finish. There were some flavor nuances developing here that I couldn’t really put a name to, but they were extremely tasty. There was definitely some formidable strength to this portion, but nothing that would knock you out, just a solid medium body.
In the final portion I suddenly felt the full strength of the cigar. This was now undeniably full-bodied, despite its crazy smoothness. The flavors had reached their full potential as well, with layered notes of earth, hay, unsweetened cocoa, cream, leather, and just a hint of nutmeg along with a sweet, lingering finish like I had experienced in the beginning of the smoke. This, my friends, is what its all about.
The Torano Vault D-042 was complex, smooth, unyieldingly full flavored and just all around good. Burn and draw were spot on and the flavor was off the hook. The Torano Family simply knocked it out of the park with this one and I can’t wait to smoke it again. I apologize if this sounds like hype, but I assure you it is not. I give it an A. Buy it, try it, you won’t regret it.