Garo Maduro

Overall Score

1 review for Garo Maduro

  1. The Cigar Spy

    Garo Maduro

    Origin : Dominican Republic
    Format : Alto / Toro
    Size : 6 x 50
    Wrapper : Brazilian
    Filler : Piloto Cubano
    Binder : Dominican
    Hand-Made
    Price : $135 for a box of 25

    Garo Habano Cigars was introduced, as a brand, in 1996 by Dr. Garo Bouldoukian. To quote the Garo Habano website:

    “Garo Habano products have enjoyed a devoted following. Smokers everywhere have praised the quality, consistency and smoothness of our cigars. The company has continued to utilize the finest, most carefully selected tobaccos, the most skilled and passionate rollers, and the most time-honored methods of fermentation and aging throughout our history. The result is a cigar with the same quality, taste and impeccable construction today as in 1996. No shortcuts, no excuses.”

    It’s a brisk day in the dead of winter. Agent 24 is in the outdoor smoking lounge ready to embark upon another thrilling mission. After time spent running “Black Ops” for Santa Claus and training in art of the cigar, I am happy to be back and ready to tackle a new year of cigars.

    Full disclosure: The Garo Habano cigars I am reviewing were given to me by the manufacturer. Only after acknowledging that my reviews would remain unbiased and honest, did we come to an agreement for the series of reviews. I remain committed to giving an open and honest review.

    Appearance and first impressions

    The wrapper on the Garo Maduro is a deep, dark chocolate brown and a bit oily in appearance. It has a few veins and is firm to the touch from head to foot. The initial smell is of fresh cut hay and rich tobacco. After the cut, the cold draw is solid and gives me a slight taste of roasted nuts.

    Mission Notes

    From the first light through the first few puffs, I get a dark cocoa taste with a nutty undertone. It leaves a hint of sweetness on the palate. It has started very smooth from the first light. It has a nice creamy finish to each puff and the smoke is thick and white and I enjoy watching it dissipate into the air. The retrohale tickles the sinuses with a hint of spice. It reminds me of a habanero pepper. It is in no way overwhelming or uncomfortable. As I settle in for the journey through the Garo Habano Maduro, I am feeling like listening to one of the all time masters of classical guitar, Andres Segovia.

    As I get through the first third of the Garo Maduro, the burn has hit a bit of an uneven streak. It is nothing that is going to affect the cigar at this point. We will let it ride for a bit and see if corrects itself. The draw and finish are still smooth and the taste has remained fairly consistent. The most prevalent taste is of toasted walnuts, but there is also that underlying sweetness of cocoa that just teases the taste buds.

    Now we are over halfway through the Maduro and the flavors on this cigar have remained the same. The retrohale still has that little bit of peppery bite to it, which I enjoy. The burn issue that I mentioned earlier has corrected itself and I am really feeling the power behind this cigar. I was on the fence at the beginning on whether this was a medium or full-bodied cigar, but as we move towards the final third, I am getting that full feeling in my belly and am getting fully into my “mellow” which leads me to declare the Maduro as a full-bodied smoke.

    As I dig into the last third, the taste is evolving a bit. The cocoa taste has come back to forefront and while I can still get hints of roasted nuts, there is some red peppery spice making its way from the retrohale to regular inhale. It is in no way overpowering or unpleasant and I enjoy the little bit of spice. I am really enjoying the finish on this cigar. It is creamy and leaves a hint of bittersweet cocoa on the taste buds. The burn stayed consistent the rest of the way and the draw was outstanding throughout.

    Final Statement

    The Garo Maduro is a very enjoyable smoke. The taste profile was great and evolved nicely without ever being overpowering. It’s a great smoke for the person who enjoys a solid full-bodied cigar. This is a perfect after dinner, early evening cigar. The price is around $5.50 a cigar, which puts it in a favorable position in the market. I recommend it for any fan of Maduro cigars. Until next time…

    Helpful?
    0 0
    • Jim

      I purchased a bundle of these for a get together and have enjoyed them as well. I agree with the flavor profile you point out as well as the strength. I am letting them sit a while in my humi to see what this does to the flavor profile. I anticipate it will only improve all the more. For the price point and profile it is worth keeping them on hand. Thx for the review.

Add a review