On Friday we announced that in order to beef up our newly-created Stogie Reviews Archive, we would launch an entire week of reviews. So, without further ado, here is the first installment of our Stogie Guys Week in Review:

The Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Toro is a nice looking 6 inch by 52 ring gauge stogie with a gritty Costa Rican maduro wrapper. Indian Tabac is Rocky Patel’s company, so I had high expectations for this box-pressed stogie.

I chose to pair it with a white russian (the dude’s favorite cocktail). The coupling is somewhat of an aggressive choice with a dark maduro cigar, but it’s a pairing I have enjoyed in the past.

After lighting up this I cigar, I didn’t notice the super strong flavors (as advertised). And when the “super fuerte” flavor did kick in, it was more harsh than rich.

Instead, I found this cigar very earthy with nutty walnut tones that faded in and out. And I was disappointed by the very bitter notes this cigar had. Some sweet flavors would have balanced out the flavor more.

Fortunately, the cigar had a very easy draw, which was a good thing since the one previous time I tried this cigar it had an impossible plug that forced me to put it out halfway through - something I almost never do. Additionally, this cigar developed a nasty split in the wrapper along one of the edges of the box press, but thankfully that didn’t seem to effect the burn.

Overall, I expected better from the company that makes one of my favorite stogies, the Rocky Patel Sun Grown. This one looked and smelled good before I lit it (and provides good value at only about $2 apiece), but the bitter flavors prevented the cigar from living up to its potential.

I give the Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Toro only two and a 1/2 out of five stogies.

[Also, don't forget to submit your entries for a chance to represent the Stogie Guys and score free tickets to Cigar Artisans 2006 in Tampa. To learn more about Cigar Artisans 2006, read our September 6 article.]

-Patrick S