Stogie Reviews: Escudo Cubano Maduro Toro

Day in and day out, we here at StogieGuys.com try our best to find you solid smokes that won’t break the bank. And we also try to identify which pricey cigars don’t live up to the hype. More times than not, though, it seems like you usually get what you pay for.

And that’s the sad case with the Escudo Cubano Maduro. I was hoping that the $2.20 Toro (six inches by 50 ring gauge) would bear a reasonable resemblance to a Partagas Black, but I’m sorry to say this cigar just isn’t worth your time or money.

For starters, the top quarter inch of the dark wrapper has an alarming tendency to separate itself from the Nicaraguan binder during the cut. I write this, mind you, with complete confidence that the sticks had been stored properly and the cutter was sharp. As a result – on two of the three Toros I smoked for this review – much care and attention was required to keep them from falling apart.

This proved especially troubling because the black and bumpy wrapper is so oily it stains the skin and the lips. Very unpleasant. So if you’re adventurous enough to still try this cigar, make sure to have some extra napkins handy.

Also, don’t count on an even burn, a stable ash, or a clear draw.

With all these construction issues, the taste is really difficult to pay close attention to. Here’s what I could pick up: heavy notes of rich, sweet maduro flavors that reminded me more of the Camacho Triple Maduro than the Partagas Black. For me, a little bit of this taste goes a long way. I found myself getting bored of the cigar’s unchanging flavor, particularly since the slow-burning smoke takes over two hours to complete.

With exclusive distribution to the American market from the Dominican Republic, Escudo Cubano is rarely found in B&Ms but easy to track down online. Thompson calls the brand “the epitome of the craft of cigar making” and a throwback to the old Cuban blends. I’d have to disagree on both counts.

I give the Escudo Cubano Maduro Toro an unsatisfactory one and ½ out of five stogies.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

-Patrick A