Appearance
The milk chocolate colored wrapper has a few prominent veins. It's has a bit of mottling which makes the tight seams visible. Parts of the wrapper have a nice oily sheen and other parts have a matte finish.
The cigar is well packed with filler as there are no soft spots.
Aroma
Cocoa, earth, cedar and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Cedar and earth with a hint of spice at the foot.
Prelight Draw
Dried fruit, honey, cedar and cinnamon spice.
1st
Initial draws bring notes of cedar, leather, a hint of cocoa powder and some cinnamon spice. There is a pinch of black pepper on the finish. The draw is a bit snug, I'm feeling it in my cheeks. The burn is spot on. The ash is a light salt&pepper gray and stacked. At 3/4" in the black pepper goes from a pinch to a dash. At 1" in the black pepper begins to dominate the flavor profile. Right before transitioning to the 2nd/3rd there are buttery, creamy notes that join the profile and help to mellow the black pepper dominance. The ash held firm til removal.
2nd
Strength was at medium to medium+. The burn has developed a bit of a wave. Smoke production is in the medium range. The burn line has fully self corrected. The creamy notes have balanced the profile allowing the dried fruit notes to come through. The black pepper starts to become more prominent but then just as quickly fades and the cinnamon takes its place.
Final/3rd
The cinnamon becomes warm and the black pepper disappears. A dash of mild black pepper reemerges but is quickly balanced by warm cinnamon notes. A little past halfway in the final/3rd the warm cinnamon becomes more like a paprika spice. Right before the nub the spice returns to a mild cinnamon with the dried fruit and cedar notes all balancing nicely.
Overall
The Intensa FSG Toro provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A very complex and flavorful profile. The draw was a bit snug throughout and the burn was a little wavy for a good portion of the cigar but it's definitely a cigar to put on your list to try.
They are available at www.coronacigar.com
A big Thank you to Jeff Borysiewicz @CoronaCigarCo for the samples for review.
GoGetchasome™!!
Spot on review. I was lucky enough to get one of these in a sampler along with a most excellent store pick bottle of Maker's Mark from Corona Cigar. Creamy espresso with mixed nuts dominate the flavor profile for me with some cinnamon, pepper and paprika. Medium to full body. Tight cold draw so I would recommend using your Perfect Draw tool tool to loosen things up a bit. Tons of smoke production is the result. Overall 7.5 out if 10 for me. Well worth having some in your humidor.
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