Beer, Motorcycles and Cigars — Beer, Bikes and Butts

I picked up a cigar made by Maker’s Mark in celebration of their 10th anniversary.  I didn’t know Maker’s Mark made cigars, and since their bourbon has been around since 1933, I don’t know what 10th anniversary they are celebrating (even their website offers no clue).  But they make a fine bourbon, so I bought the cigar on faith.

The toro (6″ x 50) comes in a glass tube, sealed with the trademark Maker’s Mark wax, but in silver instead of red, to mark the 10th anniversary (of making cigars, perhaps?).  The binder and filler are from the Dominican Republic, with a Connecticut wrapper.  They don’t use the words “infused” or “flavored,” rather they state the cigar is “aromatically seasoned” with Maker’s Mark bourbon.

This randomly selected cigar turned out to be a very pleasant smoke.  Very creamy taste, with a perfect burn and construction.  I found only middling reviews of the other “non-anniversary” Maker’s Mark cigars, but they must have stepped up their game for this addition, because this was nice.  Sadly, cigar snobs will be put off at the notion that this is a “flavored” cigar, and as a result will miss a real treat.  Most of us enjoy a cigar with some complexity, and seek to identify the subtle flavors of spice, chocolate, leather, etc.  So it is with this medium-bodied cigar, with not so much a taste of bourbon, as a mellowing presence of bourbon.  Do an end-run around your cigar ego if necessary and try one of these surprisingly good cigars.  An 8.9 on The Morris Scale.

Posted on November 9th, 2009 by Aaron Morris
Filed under: Cigar Facts, Cigars, Reviews