Puros Indios Meets Carlos Torano

The great thing about having a cigar-chomping wife is the chance to regularly sample two brands at once. Sally, however, is particular about cigars. She's taken a puff or two from nearly every brand I've had, and almost always hands the despicable lump back to me. The only exception being the perplexing Gurkha Centurian Double X, which she finds rich, satisfying and CHOCOLATELY (arrrggh! That word!).

So lighting up a cigar for the wife is always dicey: She might take three puffs, decide it's lousy, and put it out. This time, she insisted on having her own. "The usual Gurkha?" I asked.

"Nah, I'm getting tired of those. What else have you got?"

I thought long and hard. What else might be described by some cigar-reviewing aesthete as CHOCOLATELY? The answer: Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 torpedo, in a recent issue of Cigar Aficionado. I'd tried two of them, and found them less than the cat's pajamas. If Sally put it out, it would be no great loss.

For myself I chose a Puros Indios Doble Maduro, toro size.

From the start, it was a head-to-head race. I had no interest in Sally's Carlos because my Puros Indios tasted so darned good. So good that I castigated myself: Why had I let it sit in my humidor for so long? Why hadn't I ordered a whole box?!!

Meanwhile Sally was raving about the Carlos Torano. "Oh, I like this! It tastes chocolately, but smoother than those Gurkhas..."

"I swear, I don't get that chocolate stuff."

"I know you don't, baby, but just accept it. And I love this SQUARE SHAPE. The way it fits in my fingers..."

"They're called box-pressed."

"Oh, I like these box-pressed cigars...."

"Boy, you're picking right up on the terminology."

"I think I only want box-pressed from now on." She purred sensually, dragging on her Carlos.

"Enough," I said. "Let me try that."

We traded cigars. Wow! The Carlos Torano 1959 was excellent - full flavored, cool-burning, tastier than the previous two I'd tried. What was up? Had Sally worked some magic spell on it?

"I don't like this one," she said, handing back the Puros Indios. No chocolate, apparently, so no dice.

I reluctantly handed her the Carlos Torano, realizing it was the last one in my humidor. I took back the Puros Indios, took a puff, and found it was nearly as good. Who needed Carlos? This dark and heady gem was also a delight.

Twice now I've tried the Puros Indios Doble Maduro. Both times I found the flavor immensely satisfying, with a submerged inkling of honey graham or wheat or whatever fancy-schmancy term you might use to describe it, let's say an "autumnal leaf-burning edge tinged with sweetness" that seems unique to the Puros Indios brands. The Doble Maduro is the strongest of the bunch.

Unfortunately, about halfway through it started burning unevenly, while Sally's Carlos Torano kept sailing on. By the time I got down to the last 2 inches--sometimes the best part of a cigar--the wrapper on one side jutted out unburned, compromising the draw. Frustration!

Luckily, Sally handed over the last two inches of her Carlos, and I snarfed it happily.

Bottom line on the Puros Indio Doble Maduro: Great taste, bad burn. Rolando, keep that fantastic blend but PLEASE teach your rollers how to pack a stick.

And the Carlos Torano Exodus 1959? Must try again. Two were bland, one fantastic: A mystery that remains to be solved. Stay tuned.