El Baton

Overall Score

1 review for El Baton

  1. The Cigar Spy

    El Baton Double Torpedo

    Photo credit: Classic Cigar

    Origin : NicaraguaEl Baton
    Format : Double Torpedo
    Size : 6 3/4 x 54
    Wrapper : Nicaragua
    Binder : Nicaragua
    Filler : Nicaragua
    Hand-Made
    Price : ~$7 each

    Background Info

    This cigar was reintroduced to the J.C. Newman (makers of Diamond Crown) family of cigars in 2009. One factory in Nicaragua makes this cigar, and nothing else.

    Mission Debrief

    This cigar will always hold a special place with me as this was the cigar I was smoking when I found out that my wife had started having labor contractions. When my wife told me that the process started, I returned to the basement and hastily finished the cigar. Needless to say, I was glad that I bought two of these cigars, if only to give this cigar its full due.

    I found zero imperfections with the cigar’s veiny Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, nor did I detect any soft or over-packed spots throughout the length of the cigar. Floral scents were present to this cigar pre-burn.

    Lighting the cigar with a wooden match and taking the first several balanced and pleasant draws, I found the familiar taste of spice, but subdued to other Nicaraguan cigars that I have smoked in the past. After the initial flavors of spice mellowed after the first ten minutes of the cigar’s two hour burn time, hints of leather and slight mocha came to the forefront. After the halfway point of the cigar, the leather moved to the background and the prominent flavor was a smoother mocha that lasted the rest of the cigars lifespan.

    The strength of the cigar starts out just above the medium bodied mark and kicks up slightly in the last third but its pleasant enough to where it is not overbearing and bitter.

    Overall, the burn on the El Baton was pretty good, although I did have a couple of relights. The color of the ash was the whitest I have seen in quite a while, but it is a bit on the flaky side, as the armrest of my chair found out (thankfully I was smoking outside).

    Final Analysis

    I thoroughly enjoyed the El Baton more the second time around, thanks to the fact that my wife wasn’t in labor this time and I wasn’t rushed to smoke it. This will give you a great blend of flavors and will still appeal to those who prefer a medium-bodied smoke. And the price point is fair to what you are getting from the cigar. Buy these with confidence.

    Helpful?
    0 0
    • Anthony

      I like these also. I have been patiently aging a number of these in my humidor. Will have to revisit soon.

      • kelly

        Your comment about aging caught my attention. I’m fairly new to the cigar hobby, and am puzzled as to why my cigars are hit and miss. For example, i’ll get a 5 pack and the first one i smoke is good. Then, a couple of days later i’ll try another from the same 5 pack and it’s bland and sometimes bitter too. Does this mean they’re too fresh and need to be aged a few months in order to taste as good as the first one did? I don’t have a humidor yet, so i’ve been storing my sticks in a ziplock bag along with a water pillow. If you have any advice for me, i’d appreciate hearing it…thanks!

    • Moonpie

      El Baton is one of my favorite cigars and I smoke a huge variety! I usually light mine with a cedar strip but that is not important; I have lit them using matches or a torch. It is a great smoke with a smooth easy draw. You don’t feel as if you have to fight to get smoke out of it; that is a huge thing with cigars for me.

Add a review
Cigar Region Nicaragua
Filler Nicaragua
Wrapper Nicarague
Binder Nicaragua
Length 6 3/4
Ring Gauge 54
Vitola Double Torpedo
Construction Hand Made