Balmoral Anejo XO Torpedo Mk52
Well what's to be said about the Balmoral Anejo XO line of cigars. They are sensational smokes with a touch of class. From the time you find them on the humidor shelf with the gray and gold band and the exquisite golden "B" you get the feeling this cigar was designed with Bentley Motors in mind. It also dawns the the complimentary gray and gold foot band and the Colorado roasado wrapper with minimal veins. The feel of the Balmoral is spongy with a nice bounce back, also slightly toothy which shows tremendous aging potential.
This cigar is rolled in the Dominican Republic and uses an 18 year aged Brazilian Arapiraca maduro wrapper, a Dominican Olor binder, and a filler composed of Dominican and Nicaraguan Ligero and Brazilian Bahia. This torpedo is a 6.25 x 52 ring guage with an MSRP of $12.75. This cigar is produced by Agio Cigars; a Dutch family owned company based in Holland that dates back to 1904 and is the 4th largest cigar manufacturing company in the world. The Balmoral Anejo is one of the company's highest premium cigars they produce, and based on the quality of the tobacco I can understand why. Not many people know about Balmoral because it's a limited production release. They only produce 500 boxes of 20 each year so if you find one in your local B&M, splurge and let them rest in your humidor.
Now for those who may or may not already know, the wrapper is what gives this cigar its unique flavors. As I said it's an 18 year aged Brazilian wrapper from Bahia also referred to as Brazilian Maduro. *It's grown in the Aripiraca municipality and is Brazil's "tobacco capital of Brazil". This wrapper is also used in other comparable cigars such as La Aurora Preferido Maduros, Alec Bradley’s Trilogy Maduros, and Charlie Toraño’s 1959 Exodus 50 Years.
As I cut the well crafted triple cap on this torpedo, before you even light the predraw gives you chocolate, leather, and earth and citrus notes. It honestly reminds me of the Davidoff Escurio Robusto. It's a well balanced sweetness and earth that is just remarkable. The draw is near perfect and the burn is razor sharp, even while sitting here outside it does not lose focus of it's entertainment. Cigars of this caliber are a friendly reminder of why I fell in love with cigars in the first place. It's like drinking your grandad's 25 year old Bourbon he's stashed away in his cellar just itching to be sipped. The first third is a pleasant treat with no issues whatsoever and previews the remaining quality to come.
As we make our way to the second third the medium-bodied smoke transitions to something a little more upscale then the typical citrus and earth notes. It brings to the front of your pallete a Vodka Maritni with two olives and notes of ginger, clover, and spices. No one note overpowers the other, it works in harmony. The smoke is creamy and mouth watering which only exemplifies the quality of tobacco used here. It has a medium to long finish and it continues to burn at a consistent and steady pace where your draws are almost not required. The spices and Vodka notes exchange places thoughout the second third and it's a treat to experience each one.
As we settle into the last third you come to realize that you have enjoyed something magical and special. It transitions in the last third yet again into flavors of tobacco, brown sugar and caramel. Again, still no burn issues and no relighting required. However my opinion is not the only one that counts. If you have smoked a Balmoral Anejo cigar and had a different experience it, share it on our website, twitter, or Facebook account.
*www.cigarinspector.com
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