Stogie Reviews: Panacea Black Natural Toro
12 May 2009
I’ve never explicitly put it this way before but, for me, a good cigar is definitely a panacea: a virtual cure-all. I’m guessing many of you would share that sentiment. And there’s no denying that Paul Bush, owner of the Flatbed Cigar Co., would agree that premium tobacco can be a remedy for ills or difficulties.
That passion inspired Paul to found Flatbed, which released its first cigar—the Panacea Black—to mid-Atlantic retailers in October 2007. “Selling from the trunk of my car, I enjoyed the company of hundreds of cigar enthusiasts, shop owners, and patrons alike, as I made my way from DC to Boston,†he wrote in Stogie Fresh’s Cigar Journal. “Panacea is now in 42 stores and growing steadily.â€
Although Flatbed distributes out of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the company’s operations center on its factory in the Dominican Republic. There, experienced rollers turn out two different Panacea blends, both of which include Dominican binders and filler composed of Cuban-seed seco, ligero, olor Dominicano, and Nicaraguan tobaccos.
The Natural line is finished with a clean, nearly flawless Connecticut Ecuadorian wrapper that features a bumpy terrain and a soft touch from head to foot. I smoked two Toros (6 x 50) for this review. Both took a clean cut and produced a pre-light nose of sweet hay and dry foliage.
The initial taste, which shines through in the voluminous smoke, exhibits traits similar to other Connecticut-wrapped smokes—cream, butter, nuts, and paper. But there’s more going on here. A tiny hint of what I’d call nutmeg spice, for example, keeps the flavor plenty interesting.
Not much changes in the well-balanced profile from beginning to end, save for a slight increase in spice down the home stretch. That isn’t necessarily a criticism, though; I enjoyed the Toro for its crisp consistency.
Adding to this cigar’s value are superb combustion qualities, including a razor-sharp burn, a clear draw, and a sturdy gray ash.
That’s why, when it’s all said and done, I can heartily recommend the Panacea Black Natural Toro as a great morning to mid-afternoon selection for everyday smoking. Keep your eyes open for this vitola in B&Ms in the eastern half of the country, or buy a four-pack from Flatbed’s online shop for $24. While this cigar may not cure all of life’s problems, its smooth taste and great construction earns it three and a half stogies out of five.
[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]
photo credit: Stogie Guys
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
Without a doubt, a great cigar, especially for the "price of admission."
They are at my local shop – will definitely try one now. Thanks for the review.
Cant wait to try them! If you advertise with these guys the least they can do is give you a 5/5 stogies!
Quality cigar! I'll try em asap
Tried a bunch of their cigars. My favorite is the habano red grande. Can you review that stick? I would love to read that review.