The Caldwell The King Is Dead Toro comes from one of the blends that helped establish Robert Caldwell's reputation for seeking out tobaccos you don't encounter in every humidor. Caldwell says The King Is Dead took five years to develop, and unlike many of the company's multi-country blends, this one is entirely Dominican. At its heart is an unusually aged 2008 Dominican Negrito wrapper over a 2006 Dominican Corojo binder, with Dominican Corojo Ligero, Negrito Viso and HVA 20/20—a Cuban hybrid cultivated in the Dominican Republic—making up the filler. It's an intriguing recipe, particularly because Negrito is rarely given this kind of starring role in a premium cigar.
At 6" x 54, the Toro gives those tobaccos considerably more room to develop than the little Manzanita. The aged Negrito wrapper brings dark earth, cedar and a slightly rustic sweetness, while the Corojo underneath contributes warm spice and enough strength to give the cigar some backbone. As the Toro settles in, look for roasted coffee, cocoa and darker wood alongside the milk-chocolate character Caldwell associates with the blend. The larger ring gauge also brings more of the filler into the equation, making the Toro broader and rounder than the concentrated 4 x 42 Manzanita without losing the distinctive character of the wrapper.
If you've been meaning to explore Caldwell beyond the better-known names in your humidor, put The King Is Dead Toro near the top of the list. The 6 x 54 format gives this unusual all-Dominican recipe enough time and room to show exactly why Caldwell spent five years getting it right. Better yet, pick up several—smoke one now, give another some time in the humidor, and you'll have a chance to really get acquainted with that distinctive aged Negrito wrapper. For the experienced smoker who values tobacco pedigree and wants something genuinely different from another familiar Habano or Maduro, The King Is Dead Toro is an easy cigar to recommend adding to your next order.
