Who knew that one or more of the movers and shakers at Torano Family Cigars is a Bob Dylan fan? Actually, we don’t know that, but when Torano goes into its back pages for a new product, we have to wonder. Which brings us to Torano’s Vault, introduced last summer. Vault’s origins stem from Charlie Torano and Bruce Lewis paging back through the family’s blend book, which has recorded the composition of every cigar Torano has produced, or considered producing, since 1982. They discovered one unreleased blend from 2000 – Liga A-008 – that piqued their interest. And with a bit of tweaking – adding a second ligero binder from Ometepe, Nicaragua, to add a bit more kick – they had their new full-bodied concoction.
Cigar Stats: The updated Vault features filler from Nicaragua, binder from Nicaragua and Honduras, and a Shade-Grown Nicaraguan Colorado wrapper. It’s available in four sizes: Robusto
(5 x 52), Toro (6 x 50), Torpedo (6 1/8 x 52) and Corona Gorda 5 5/8 x 46). We sampled the Toro.
Appearance: This is an understated, yet elegant stick. A simple silver and black label adorns the dark brown wrapper that contains a couple of noticeable veins. It is tightly rolled, yet retains some spring to the touch. The 50 ring gauge may seem a bit on the small side with the recent proliferation of wide-body sticks, but it’s not insignificant.
The Smoke: Vault’s pre-light aroma is deep and rich, accurately signaling the full-bodied smoking experience you are about to get when you light up. But full-bodied doesn’t mean rough in this case. After an initial wave of coffee and woody notes, the flavor soon develops into a very smooth, almost creamy blend of cedar and earthy flavors. Meanwhile, the rich aroma keeps coming. The most impressive aspect of the smoke is that the second half is as flavorful and smooth as the first. In addition, the draw is consistently firm throughout, and the burn line is impeccable.
Verdict: The Vault packs plenty of flavor, making for a very satisfying 90-minute or so smoke. You can expect to pay $7-8 a stick, and you won’t feel short-changed. For more information on the Vault and the entire line of Torano cigars visit www.torano.com.
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