Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Vibrato(Toro) 2/8/20

 

Appearance

A dark chocolate brown colored wrapper with a couple of thin veins but a mostly smooth matte finish. The seams are tightly wrapped and the cap is very well applied. There is a very light oil sheen. It is box pressed. The filler bunch is well packed with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma

Earth, dark chocolate, cedar and spice on the wrapper. Earth, dark chocolate, cedar, floral and spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw

Earth, raisin, licorice, dark chocolate and spice.

1st

The initial draws bring notes of earth and a very distant spice at the back of the palate. The draw is snug. The burn is nearly perfect at the 5/8” mark. The medium/dark gray, tightly stacked ash is beginning to bloom. The blooming stopped after 1/2”. At 1” in black pepper spice notes are beginning to develop. Near the end of the 1st/3rd the burn goes off at 22.5 degrees. The ash holds firm and straight until removal.

2nd

Upon inspection of the working end I find a tunnel right under the binder which is causing the uneven burn line. Strength is at medium+. Smoke production is at the medium range. Too much gomma(vegetable glue) was used and caused damage to the secondary band when removing. The black pepper spice tapers back a bit allowing notes of caramel to come forward. The draw begins opening up. With the help of simple physics the burn line is self correcting. Dark chocolate notes join the profile. The finish is long with notes of earth, cedar, dark chocolate, caramel and heavy black pepper spice.

Final/3rd
The same damage occurs when removing the primary band. The burn gets erratic as I start the final/3rd. Nutty notes, when combined with the black pepper spice taste like toasted almonds as they join the profile. After another half dozen or so puffs the black pepper spice begins overwhelming the profile. The black pepper spice continues dominating the profile right to the nub.

Overall

The Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Vibrato(Toro) provides a disappointing smoking experience. The profile had a heavy black pepper spice influence with a good draw after the 1st/3rd and an erratic burn for most of the cigar.

I have not found an Aging Room cigar that I enjoyed as the heavy black pepper spice is typical in all of their cigars. But give it a try, especially if you enjoy heavy black pepper spice.

Definitely not worthy of #1 cigar of the year in my humble opinion.