Toscano Brenta 4″1/8 * 56

Handmade in Italy, the Toscano Brenta is a fire-cured-wrapped cheroot from Toscano, the Italian fire-cured house. Toscano cigars are Italian, made from fire-cured Kentucky tobacco and often smoked in halves.

It blends an Italian Kentucky wrapper over a Kentucky binder and filler at a medium to full body, leading with dry, smoky wood, leather, espresso, and a savory, toasted edge. At 4 1/8 by 56, it burns cool and even.

The Toscano story starts with a mistake. In Florence in 1815 a batch of Kentucky tobacco was soaked by a storm and fermented instead of drying, and rather than throw it out someone sold it. People liked it. Two hundred years later the leaf is still fire cured over hardwood, which is where the smoke and the savory edge come from.

Pairs well with espresso, grappa, or red wine.