Cigar Review: Emilio Cigars AF Suave Toro

As he told the story on his blog, Gary Griffith mentioned to cigar maker A.J. Fernandez that he needed to add a Connecticut-wrapped smoke to his lineup of Emilio Cigars. This was back in 2011, and this is how the AF Suave blend was born.

“There are plenty of Connecticuts out there, and the one thing I stressed that I didn’t want was a one-dimensional cigar,” wrote Griffith when AF Suave was released in June 2012. “Instead, I said I was playing with the idea of making something that would maintain the interest of the seasoned smoker, yet not overpower novices.”

The result is the third line made by Fernandez for Emilio Cigars (the first and second being the San Andreas-wrapped AF1 and the Habano oscuro-wrapped AF2, respectively).

AF Suave features a golden Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper around Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos (the exact makeup of the binder and filler has not been divulged). It is sold in boxes of 20 and available in five standard sizes: Corona (5.5 x 42), Churchill (7 x 50), Robusto (5 x 50), Torpedo (6 x 52), and Toro (6 x 50). The latter retails for around $7.50 and boasts a sweet pre-light aroma of honey and apricot.

Consistent in feel from head to foot, the Toro’s cap cuts easily to reveal an open, airy draw that imparts spice on the lips. That spice carries over to the flavor of the opening profile, which is characterized by black pepper, coffee, and salty notes. Then, in less than a half inch, the taste mellows considerably, becoming creamy and nutty and dropping most of its stronger tendencies.

At the halfway mark and beyond the Toro is mild- to medium-bodied with a creamy, chalky texture and classic Connecticut flavors—vanilla, cream, and almond—with a backdrop of pepper and espresso. One could say Fernandez and Griffith hit the mark of crafting a blend with “flavor complexity often unattained in a cigar of this strength level.”

With a solid ash, a straight burn that requires no maintenance, and a profile that’s simultaneously restrained yet interesting, the AF Suave will find fans among newer cigar smokers and longtime enthusiasts alike. It nicely diversifies the Emilio Cigars lineup, which is quite robust—especially considering how young the company is. All told, this particular smoke is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys