Once again I am amazed by the quality of conversation and friendliness of patrons of my local cigar lounge. Was at Siglo Cigar Lounge last night, and what originally started as a quick smoke to clear my head and concentrate on a few projects turned into a delightful conversation on everything from the women's rights in Afghanistan, to the importance of Networking, to the current state of the Euro. I had already smoked an Oliva Series V Toro, which is one of my go-to cigars, when a fellow patron offered me something I hadn't seen before: a Cain Daytona Toro. I am a big fan of the Oliva brand, with Cains and Nubs being held in a particularly high opinion, but I was used to the shorter Nubs or Robusto Cains, and had never seen this particular line before.
It smoked like a dream. I will chalk this up to the original owner being a real pro in the care of his cigars, and a stickler for the perfect humidity (we had discussed this at length before he even opened his case and offered me one.) The Daytona, I understand, is made in Esteli, Nicaragua, like much of the Oliva line, but is constructed entirely of the ligero portion of the tobacco plant – that is to say the large, flavorful, sun-drenched, leaves at the top of the plant. This is interesting as most cigars pull the binders, fillers, and wrappers from different levels – sometimes from different areas or countries altogether. Despite the homogeneous construction, the Daytona was incredibly complex. It lit almost instantly, with an immediate flavor that was smooth, delicate, and infinitely pleasing. The smoke was velvety and rich without being heavy, with distinct floral notes that I am not used to in a cigar. It burned slowly and evenly, with an excellent draw. Where it was light and fruity at the beginning, it gradually became more and more powerful as it smoked – something that really snuck up on me. My one complaint is that the last inch or so turned noticeably bitter towards the end. I have noticed this in many cigars, that heat up and become harsh as they are smoked, but one of the main reasons why I enjoy the Cain and Nub lines is because they have hit the sweet spot of the cigar the whole way through. Despite this break in consistency from the other Cain cigars I have smoked, I thoroughly enjoyed the Daytona. It is a unique smoke, one that I will seek out again, and I highly recommend giving it a try.
