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Cigar Review: Cornelius & Anthony Cornelius Toro

29 Jun 2016

CorneliusAfter growing tobacco in Virginia since the end of the Civil War, the Bailey family operation has moved into premium cigars.

The inaugural Cornelius cigar has a light brown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a binder that’s also from Ecuador, and a Nicaraguan Jalapa filler. The cigars are rolled at El Titan de Bronze in Miami’s Little Havana.

The Toro is a 6-inch, 50-ring gauge stick with a $15 MSRP. Two other vitolas fill out the line: Robusto (5 x 52, $13.50) and Corona Gorda (5.5 x 46, $12). All are sold in boxes of 20. The company’s website is still under construction.

The Cornelius name honors an ancestor of Steven Bailey, who turned the company into a small-brand cigarette juggernaut in the 1990s. That most interesting story was well told by the Los Angeles Times a few years ago.

There’s no doubt Cornelius & Anthony is making a serious move into cigars. The company hired Courtney Smith, a former executive at La Palina. And, as a separate division of the company, Cornelius & Anthony will have its own individual booth at this year’s IPCPR Trade Show. (Smith supplied the samples I smoked for this review.)

The Cornelius makes a fine first impression, with a smooth wrapper that has an almost minty pre-light aroma. When lit, the opening is a classic cigar flavor: tobacco sweetness. That soon includes a bit of spice with some wood and light nutty notes.

While the flavors amp up and down a little along the way, there isn’t a lot of change throughout. The burn is razor-sharp, though the ash is a bit loose. The draw is excellent.

I’d classify the strength as pretty much in the middle of medium. It’s a strength and flavor profile that should appeal to many smokers. The price is reasonable, especially for a cigar of this size that is rolled in the U.S.

If this sounds like a cigar you’d enjoy, give Cornelius a try. I rate it three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

5 Responses to “Cigar Review: Cornelius & Anthony Cornelius Toro”

  1. John Lavorini Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at 9:15 am #

    This is one of the most boring reviews I have ever read. If you not going to take the time to do it right, don’t even do it!

    • Thomas Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at 10:21 am #

      The same could be said of your comment.

      • Swede214 Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at 10:50 am #

        John, sit down and smoke a cigar. Lighten up, life is to short!

  2. Mike Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at 1:19 pm #

    So, you think a slightly above average rated $15 cigar is a good price? At $15 it should spark you taste buds and come with a drink of your choice…..

  3. Charlie H. Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at 4:06 pm #

    I thought this cigar was very good. It is very “El Titan de Bronze in profile” and I’m a sucker for their cigars. I have smoked through a 5 pack of these and would order another again.