Earlier this year, I happened to be in Punta Cana vacationing for a few days. Vlad hits me up about something unrelated, and I’m like give me a couple days and I’ll hit you back when I leave Punta Cana. To my surprise, VLAD was in Punta Cana as well! We got to hang out for a few hours before he caught his flight, and many Riojas were enjoyed. Vlad is a great dude that makes great cigars – it doesn’t get much better than that in my opinion.
My girlfriend and I have had experiences with the Rioja before, and it quickly became a favorite of ours because of how easily it can pair with beer, wine, and coffee. This cigar has since become one of my favorite coffee pairings in the morning. Right this moment, I’m holding a Rioja Toro in one hand with two shots of espresso in the other. Yes, dear Reader, it is a logistical feat to keep putting words on a page.
My first few puffs today remind me of Chocolate Teddy Grahams followed by a sweet, floral wave. It’s gritty up front, chewy in the center, and refreshing on the backend. I find myself savoring and reflecting the first several minutes: the hallmark of an excellent cigar. I also tasted what reminds me of cashew, dark caramels, and sweet Cold Foam during this time.
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Almost an inch in, those cold foam notes begin dipping into the vanilla territory and once again I find myself face to face with one of my favorite recollections: old books. Pepper begins contrasting the profile beautifully around this point, adding more dimension to the flavors. I’m perceiving a little bit of leather, pencil lead, and the faintest hint of Arabic coffee.
Dropping about two inches of ash that for some reason didn’t want to drop, I’m getting much more of the earlier floral notes on the retro hale. Excluding the nose, I’m perceiving dark cocoa, pencil lead, a touch of earthiness, some Salt Bae action, and a whole lot of fennel. I think I’ll take my leave here and reminisce in solitude.
Update: what’s really impressive about Rioja is how the chocolate sensations evolve throughout the length of the cigar. I wouldn’t call it a chocolate bomb, but this tasting note joins an assorted cast that bring out so many different nuances from start to finish.
I really can’t say enough good things about the Somm Rioja. If this blend were a movie, I’d liken it to Villains (2019) starring Bill Skasgård – you may think you know where it’s headed, but every transition is perfectly timed to keep you on the edge of your seat and change things up where you least expect it. To this day, Rioja is still my favorite cigar to come out of Eladio Diaz’s new factory.
Well done, Vlad. Well done.
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