I got to meet Bryan at IPCPR and I was gifted his cigar from my boss. Bryan is a great guy and I really hope he has much success. I recently wrote a review and here it is with my opinion on the cigar:
Behind The Stick: While at IPCPR I had the chance to meet the man behind 13th Floor Cigars, Bryan White. I was gifted a 13th Floor Foundation Toro from Clint Aaron who introduced me to Bryan while we were in New Orleans. IPCPR was very overwhelming and I wish I had more time to hang out and talk with Bryan. The little time I did spend with him was fun and I knew right from first impressions that he was a great guy. I even got him to say “Duck Butter” while taking some pictures for him.
“Established in 2009, 13th Floor Cigars was created to bring a new and innovative brand to market while delivering a premium Cuban style smoke. Our cigars are hand crafted in the heart of Miami’s Little Havana by some of the most experienced rollers in the industry. We use only the finest tobacco and our cigars are carefully inspected to ensure quality and consistency. Our first line, Foundation, has been met with rave reviews from the most experienced aficionados to those who enjoy an occasional cigar. We are hard at work bringing 13th Floor to fine tobacconists, cigar lounges and clubs nationwide.” – 13th Floor Cigars Website
Why 13th Floor? What is the meaning behind the name? Visit
www.13thfloorcigars.com to learn more.
Construction:
Over all the 13th Floor Foundation Toro is a well constructed cigar. The light brown wrapper looks great and has just a slight hint of oils. The few veins are small and add to the character of the almost leathery appearance. The weight of the cigar in hand has a nice feel and the tobacco appeared to be evenly and tightly rolled as I found no soft spots. There was a nice slight bounce back when I squeezed the cigar. To top it all off the cigar has a triple cap that was done with extreme care and without flaw. The band is large and it grabs your eye. The silver, red, and black colors work well together and stand out. The large “13Fl” in the middle of the band almost feels like an optical illusion that is pulling your focus in towards it and won’t let go. The cigar had a nice cedar and spice aroma to it before committing arson on it.
Flavor:
The cigar lights up easily and produces a wonderful amount of smoke right from the start. I am initially hit with light flavors of cedar and an almost sweet spiciness. The flavors are initially light and the smoke is very creamy. As I continue to smoke the flavors seem to pick up in intensity but never become overpowering. About half way in the spice gives way to a stronger peppery flavor but maintains an underlying cedar flavor. The slight sweetness dissipates in the middle of the cigar and gives way to stronger cedar and pepper flavors. The final third of the cigar loses the pepper flavor but seems to pick up in body and the spiciness returns. Although the cigar seemed to start on the mild side to it definitely finished in the medium range. The smoke in the final third is still very creamy and has a cocoa finish. There is just enough complexity to this cigar and some very distinct flavor changes to keep your interest.
I took my time smoking this cigar on my deck after the kids went to bed. The draw was perfect and there was plentiful smoke from start to finish. There was no harshness or hot burn at the end of the cigar as I smoked it to the nub. The ash held well and was a consistent bright grey color. The burn was great and required no touch ups.
Overall:
I have to admit I thought this cigar was going to be very mild. I guess I have grown accustomed to really liking cigars with dark wrappers. Don’t judge a book by its cover right!? This cigar had flavors that I really enjoyed and a wonderful creaminess throughout. Start to finish it developed in stages that kept my interest and had me wondering what would happen on the next puff. There are 3 sizes all coming in the $8 and some change range. I would definitely recommend a box purchase of these cigars. Smoking this really left me wishing I had more in my humidor. I am thinking about how to word this without losing anyone here. What I want to say is this is the perfect medium cigar for any smoker in my opinion. You can give this cigar to a beginning smoker because the flavors and creaminess are fantastic but also because the cigar has an easy start and develops as you go. This is also a fantastic cigar for those experienced medium and full cigar smokers because of the great flavors and some complexity. It is a great change from what I have been smoking lately and stands on its own. You at least owe it to yourself to try 2 or 3. Duck Butter is optional.