Highclere Castle Victorian Toro 6″ x 52

The Highclere Castle Victorian Toro is a 6 by 52 toro from Foundation Cigar Co. Highclere Castle is the English estate best known as the setting of Downton Abbey, and the Victorian is the darker of Foundation’s two Highclere blends, next to the Connecticut wrapped Edwardian.

Foundation lists the blend simply: Habano Ecuador wrapper, Mata Fina binder from Brazil, Nicaraguan filler. The wrapper is an upper priming, the leaves highest on the plant that get the most sun, which gives it a darker color and more oil than the Connecticut on the Edwardian. The filler is Criollo and Corojo grown in Estelí, Jalapa and on the volcanic island of Ometepe, and it is rolled at AJ Fernandez’s factory in Estelí.

It smokes medium in body, with cedar, espresso, cocoa and black pepper. The Toro is the size halfwheel put on its Top 25 list for 2019, and at 6 by 52 it gives the blend a little over an hour to open up.

Pairs well with bourbon, espresso, or porter.