Stogie Reviews: Escudo Cubano Maduro Toro
22 Oct 2007
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.
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Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
You smoked three of those? Wow… a brave man. That's part of the reason I have so much trouble writing negative reviews lately. I hard time picking up some of those truly nasty sticks more than once.
Yeah, sometimes you have to take one for the team. I managed to trick myself into thinking the second or third sticks would be better. No such luck.
Hi Stogie Guy! Glad to have found your site. I'm slowly finding my way around. My taste in cigars may be a little different than you fellas, I really need to get your edge, so I can relate to u all! I agree with the Partagas, a friend of mine gifted one to me, and I finally got a chance to smoke it yesterday…I call it the La Partagas Feline, as it was very smooth, and very tasty for a woman…any tips on what smok es a woman might prefer? thanx I will stay away from the Escudo…
Aficionada in the Making….aka Damsel nD'Stress (4 u fellas, call me Clarice) http://www.sedidy74men.com
Clarice,
It's kind of hard for me to recommend cigars for ladies, particularly since I'm a clueless guy who has no idea what they're looking for (cigars or otherwise). I can tell you, however, that my girlfriend really seems to enjoy the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.stogieguys.com/2007/01/quick-smoke-punch-champion.html" rel="nofollow">Punch Champion, the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.stogieguys.com/2007/05/05192007-guest-quick-smoke-macanudo-gold-label-somerset.html" rel="nofollow">Macanudo Gold Label Somerset, the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.stogieguys.com/2006/08/stogie-reviews-onyx-vintage-97-epicure.html" rel="nofollow">Onyx Vintage '97 Epicure, and anything by <a rel="nofollow" href="http://stogieguys.com/2007/01/01152007-stogie-reviews-dona-flor-reserva-especial-robusto.html" rel="nofollow">Dona Flor.
If you're looking for more of an artificial approach, try <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flavoursbycao.com/" rel="nofollow">Flavours by CAO.
How can you compare a $2.20 cigar with a Partagas Black & a Camacho Triple maduro? It's like a Mercedes to a Saturn. Try comparing apples to apples. Thompson sells that cigar today for around a $1-$1.25 a cigar. Pretty good everyday (cheap) smoke if you ask me.
Try the torpedo. Always seems to be a good clean draw. It has no construction issues, and doesn't stain any of my body parts. It's a good all day creamy maduro cigar.
I've smoked plenty of the Escudo Cubano 20 Minuto perfectos and I have found none of the problems you describe. Without such problems, I can just relax and enjoy the mild/medium smoke delivered with a modicum of flavor. I find the natural wrapper a little harsh, but I've bought a second bundle of the maduro. Absolutely a worthwhile $1.50 cigar