Dapper Desvalido Toro

Smoked: Dapper Desvalido Toro

Smoked at: Fairfield, Ohio

Dapper Desvalido is made with Connecticut Broadleaf and Nicaraguan filler, an undisclosed binder and covered in a toothy light tan Ecuador Habano Rosado wrapper with a slightly oily sheen and a few small veins and one raised aorta. The band is silver on navy blue including a depiction of a rooster, a crown, and the designation “Desvalido.”

I usually don’t recognize citrus on the opening puffs, but this stick has a sweet citrus note wrapped in a sugary sweetness upfront. Oak, mixed nuts, mild pepper, tea, and floral notes are noticeable as well during the first third. Bread/toast, burnt caramel, honey and hints of cedar join in during the second third. The pepper ratchets up considerably on the retrohale, but it’s not overwhelming. The flavors are plentiful and balanced with some complexity. I’d rate this medium bodied and strength.

Construction: slightly tight draw, moderate smoke production, impressively spot on even burn line, and white grey ash that held quite well and tapped off cleanly on command.

Desvalido translates to “helpless: or "underdog” – or something like that. Since I stumbled into this cigar sitting alone and probably forlorn in the corner of a cigar shop humidor, I’ll call it a happy accidental discovery – serendipity, if you will. I guess the fact that I like this unknown to me beforehand cigar one could describe it as an underdog. This is an interesting cigar. Nice work, Dapper.