Emilio Cigars AF1 Toro Review |

I reviewed the AF2 earlier and thought it was a very good cigar with a great variety of flavors. I’ve smoked and enjoyed all of Emilio Cigars offerings and now revisiting with reviews to accompany them. Today is a review of the AF1 which has received rave reviews throughout the cigar industry. Emilio Cigars has created a strong buzz for itself which speaks volumes for Gary Griffith and blender A.J. Fernandez.

From Emilio Cigars

The Emilio AF-1 cigars are produced in Esteli, Nicaragua and named in honor of our friend A.J. Fernandez, blender and manufacturer. Two years in the making, the cigars are loaded with flavor from the Nicaraguan tobaccos of the filler, and clothed with a slow fermented maduro wrapper, dark and rich with spice and sweetness. Available in shelf-friendly cabinet boxes of 20 in four sizes: Robusto, Toro, Torpedo, and the massive BMF, a 6×58 powerhouse.

Due to our stringent quality standards these cigars are of limited production and supplies may occasionally be restricted.

In reference to the last sentence, you see many boutique cigar companies come out of the gates with some very good cigars creating a following but then struggle to meet demand. This, coupled with a misstep here and rushing out product before it’s ready causes the brand to lose steam. I’ve met Gary many times and never have I heard him feel the need to release a line unless quality control standards are met.

Emilio Cigars AF1 Toro Review

Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro

Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan

Size: 6 x 50

Vitola: Toro

MSRP: $7-$8.00

Smoke Time: 1hr 30min

Drink: Water

Location: Tasty Tobacco Shop

Construction/Appearance:

The wrapper has a nice chocolate color full of richness and even though it is slightly veiny with a bumps, the AF1 seems to be rolled well. The cigar is tightly packed but not overfilled with tobacco and the wrapper doesn’t show any signs of tears or holes. For a 6 x 50, the vitola feels well balanced in my hand with middle of the pack weight. The AF1 is simple with gold classic lettering on a black background. One thing that I have found to be very impressive with Emilio Cigars is that the bands have the right amount of tightness but still come off easily when needed.

Burn/Draw:

The cut across the head was average as it could have been just a bit cleaner and the cold draw feels “full”. As with lighting the AF2, the flame is readily accepted by the AF1 Toro covering the foot perfectly. The burn was razor sharp throughout the review and the draw was very smooth. The grayish white ash lasted an impressive 2 inches at various points in the review and I absolutely enjoyed the volume of smoke that was on display.

Flavor/Aroma:

The aroma from the wrapper and foot displays notes of cocoa and cedar with some hints of sweetness. The initial draw was of black coffee, nuts and some mellow sweetness. In the first third, I am still getting that sweetness that is reminding me of caramel, coffee with some black pepper on the finish. There is a chocolaty flavor that is starting to make an appearance as well.

The second third has flavors similar to some fruit along with wood and black coffee. There is still a peppery finish that lingers and this cigar feels full bodied and certainly full of flavor at this point. The retrohale was of pepper and some notes of caramel. The final third continues with the fruity flavors and with one and a half inches remaining, the espresso and spice starts to play more of a dominant role. The Emilio Cigars AF1 does finish with a wonderful act to balance out the entire cigar and that was something I definitely enjoyed.

Final Thoughts:

The Emilio Cigars AF1 is a well balanced full bodied cigar that will age very well
The burn, draw and construction were perfect
For personal preference, I found the AF1 to be slightly more enjoyable than the AF2
This cigar has a wonderful price point and should easily be a five pack purchase while considering a box for the future

Rating: 92

Where to purchase: Blowin Smoke Cigars

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