Fratello Rosso Toro cigar review

2/3/2023

This is the 3rd Fratello smoke I've reviewed.  The first two were their better cigars and I rated those a very high 94 and 92.  This one is less than half the price. I think I saw some prices over a little over 2 bucks for some of these.  

It can't be bad, as it's rolled with Dominican fillers at the La Aurora factory with Habano wrapper and Indonesia binder. 

After lighting up, seems a little plugged.  Smoking good but not a nice loose draw that prefer.  Tastes kick in though.  Can taste some cedar and earth with spice on top.  Slight sweetness.  It does need some touching up to keep from burning all one side.  

Pretty good mild to medium flavors.  Good flavors left ony palate so far.  I think this would be a great cigar for fishing or golfing. I can keep it in my mouth and smoke while I type without too much flavor. 

It's smoking pretty quick.  Not really plugged now, smoking good.  

Tonight is cold, about 34 degrees and slight wind.  Big fire though.  Still burning my spruce wood that I cut a little over a year ago.  Hard to split but burns good, but not as hot as oak. I cut a cord of oak a few weeks ago that will warm me better next year.  

So if this cigar burns too quick, I won't be mad to have to go back inside.  

Half through, about 20 min.  A little more woody cedar flavors.  A little more charred oak bite.  Still medium and pretty smooth.  No way this is a premium smoke, but not bad.  Definitely a cigar that I could smoke all day and enjoy it.  No bad flavors  or harshness.  

Main flavor is cedar and oak.  A bit of bite lingers, but this is a not bad spiciness.  Has a slight sweet finish on the palate with each puff.  It's kind like a hint and tease of what the fratello premium cigars deliver.  For $2, I'll smoke these all day while fishing or golfing and never complain. 

Same flavors but slightly stronger.  Oak, wood, cedar,  some earth, and some spiciness is the main flavors now.  Still good.  Not as smooth as before but good. A little paper and cardboard taste, but never bad tasting.  Right now, I know of no better $2 smoke.  

40 minutes in and I can feel the heat on my fingers.  Finish is not too bad.  A little heat in my tongue, but taste and aftertaste is still good.

It never delivered any relaxation or overall satisfaction, so hard to give it a high rating. 

Smoking to the nub and it's getting a little bad, but not bad.  I've had much worse finishes from much higher priced cigars.  

I'll smoke again.  Maybe not on a Friday night.  Overall a a great $2 smoke.  

Overall: 86

Flavor 88, complexity 85, burn 87, experience 86, value 92.