First impressions of a JL Salazar y Hermanos Reserva Especial Torpedo

[MMAB]

Well, the Salazar Reserva Torps came today. A five-pack from MD Cigars in Yuma, AZ - Great service.

The cigar is a 6x54 box press with a nice toffee colored Ecuadorian wrapper. By look and feel I could swear I am smoking a cigar made by the same factory that makes Maria Mancini Magic Mountains. The size, press and feel are practically identical. The wrapper is a few shades lighter though and the filler is certainly different. It just looks like it came from the same factory.

Prelight is nice. The cigar feels well packed and substantial. A whiff to the nose yields a clean tobacco note. The wrapper is smooth and somewhat dull with no veining. The label is red, gold and white with a prominent "S". Makes me think of the Punch label. Looks nice. Not too glitzy.

Draw is just a touch tight although I did smoke one right away upon arrival from MD in Yuma. I'm sure it's just a little on the wet side and will improve in a couple of weeks resting up in the humidor.

Upon first lighting the cigar I was hit with a solid sweet floral note. I have only experienced this once before and that was with Padron Anniversarios. A very pleasant taste. This lasted for about the first quarter of the cigar which then began to take on a nutty / coffee profile. Getting closer to the last half it became very heavy coffee and cream and always with a sweet, ever so slightly dry finish. Overall a mild/medium bodied cigar.

Burn was excellent considering it was right out of the package. The wrapper began a split near the last third but this again I am sure is due to the cigar being right out of the box. Ash was light gray and held well.

My initial expectations were for a more spicy cigar like a Fuente sun grown since the filler of the Salazar HR uses sungrown tobacco. None the less, this is a pleasant smoke. Would make a perfect first of the day cigar.

There, now I feel like Thurston Howell III

I don't normally do reviews - they sound so.....so.....snooty!

Oh Lovey! Pass the caviar, will you dear?

[nhcigarfan]

Nice review. I have wanted to try those for a while. I guess I have to now.

[Dmitri]

Ahh....it makes me want one...

[TheVitaleMob]

I think I'll pick up a few too, and I'll make sure to age them accordingly.

[Kenyth]

I smoke these regularly. A nice medium bodied box pressed toro with a healthy dose of nicotene and a very nice brown oily wrapper. Not too expensive, but not exactly cheap either. There isn't a great deal of complexity to this cigars flavor profile, but sometimes that's nice too! I like a straight shooter every once in a while. On the downside, the consistency suffers a bit between batches (good batches have a really oily sheen), and the wrapper can be a little veiny. All in all, a nice smoke though. A regular in my humi.

[kevin7]

Great review you did there bro:)

MD cigars is a good vendor for those of you who haven't dealt with him

Salazars are a great product from Cuban Crafters,I get their weekly e mail specials and my local carries the line also. Last month 2 boxes of torps came in and they had a 'claro' sticker on the box. Limited expiremental blend that got mixed up and sent to him. Man we are guarding them closely.LOL

K7

[MMAB]

for the comments.

Kenyth, interesting you should note the inconsistency and the oily wrapper. The ones I received were a more medium brown and fairly dull, no sheen.

I'm taking a couple to FLA next week to bounce these off of my buddy and in a couple more weeks after I will smoke the other two and make my "final judgement"!

They do seem like a cigar I would like to keep in the humidor though.

[Kenyth]

for the comments.

Kenyth, interesting you should note the inconsistency and the oily wrapper. The ones I received were a more medium brown and fairly dull, no sheen.

I'm taking a couple to FLA next week to bounce these off of my buddy and in a couple more weeks after I will smoke the other two and make my "final judgement"!

They do seem like a cigar I would like to keep in the humidor though.

Yep, the first ones I tried were really good and had a real shiny wrapper. This last batch I got was kind of dull and a little lighter in color. It wasn't near as good. I'm guessing they were different years harvests?