AJ Fernandez Bellas Artes Toro 6″ * 54

The Toro stretches the AJ Fernandez Bellas Artes blend across an extra half inch and a slightly wider gauge, slowing the burn without changing the recipe.

The cigar pairs the proprietary Rojita hybrid wrapper, a Nicaraguan-grown cross of Connecticut 8212, Corojo ’99, and Havana 2000, with a Havana ’92 binder from Quilali and a multi-country long-filler combining Nicaraguan leaf from Estelí, Condega, and Jalapa with Honduran Jamastran and Brazilian Mata Norte tobaccos. Production runs at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua in Estelí, with a minimum three-year aging requirement before rolling. The Toro measures 6 by 54, box-pressed, at medium-to-full body.

Expect cedar, almond, and a soft baking-spice character at the start, with cocoa, leather, and a slightly sweet earthiness filling in through the middle before a peppery finish. The wider gauge gives the Mata Norte and the Nicaraguan filler more room to develop, pulling out more of the cocoa side of the blend. The format runs longer than the Robusto and suits an unhurried evening pace.

Pairings: espresso, bourbon, or porter.