Charatan Colorado Toro

The largest size in the Colorado range from Charatan, the London-based company founded in 1863. This 15.2 cm toro with a 50 ring gauge features the same double band in classic ‘Union Jack’ colours as its smaller counterparts, the half Churchill and the robusto.

Its Ecuadorian Habano wrapper owes its reddish-brown hue, verging on ochre, to prolonged curing under abundant sunshine. The binder and fillers come from Nicaragua. The Colorado sits right in the middle of the range: with more body and woody notes than the Claro, and a smoother flavour than the Maduro.

The first puffs reveal notes of toasted hazelnut – somewhere between cashew and almond – underpinned by a warm woody note. The toro size allows the cigar time to develop: milk chocolate, a hint of nutmeg and an earthy note, always tempered by a caramelised sweetness.

The final third brings out roasted notes and a hint of leather, rounding off the tasting experience beautifully. Allow about an hour, ideally with an espresso or an Old Fashioned.