Cigar Review: Frontline Cigars Blue Line Toro – Rated 91

Front Line cigars is a new cigar company founded by Steve Boik, based out of Chicago Illinois. Being a police officer for over fourteen years, Steve recognized the need of first responders including police officers, firefighters, and military who are the heroes that serve and keep us safe. He set up a 501c3 charity known as “Help the Heroes Foundation”. As Steve told me “No Hero Should be Left Behind”.

With that said, Steve not only started a cigar line to help with his mission but also started an online cigar site – FrontLineCigars.com – that offers for sale not only his Blue Line brand but other brands as well, with each sale contributing to his mission to support first responders and their families. Front Line Cigars is also a donation center for Cigars for Warriors.

I have gotten to know Steve over the past month through his virtual herfs and learned much about him and his life and can say he is humble and sincere in what he does.

Steve notes;

“It is not about the money, it’s about meeting new people, helping out heroes that protect us everyday through cigars”.

The Blue Line

Today’s review focuses on the Blue Line Cigar brand which has a blend described as:

Wrapper – Ecuadorian Habano
Binder – Dominican
Filler – Dominican

The Blue Line cigar is expressed in 2 vitolas and come packaged in 25-count boxes and are produced at Tabacalera Rodriguez in the Dominican Republic.

Robusto (5 x 50) MSRP $6.20
Toro (6 x 52) MSRP $6.75

For this review I sampled two Blue Line Toros which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.

Pre-Light Examination

The Front Line cigar has a reddish brown wrapper with a mild oily sheen and some noticeable veins running along the barrel. It is firm to the touch and finished with a well applied triple cap.

A single band adorns the cigar using a blue, black, and silver motif. It highlights the brands logo in the center that uses a skull smoking a cigar with a symbolic American flag running through the skull. The name Blue Line is printed in the left and Cigars in the right.

Running the Blue Line across the nose I was greeted with light baking spice aroma along the barrel and an enticing nut off the foot.

Using my trusty double blade Xikar cutter, I sliced the cap straight across the shoulder and gave it some cold draws that I would describe as spot on with restriction and offering a fine light pepper note along with a sweet nut.

My double flame torch lighter did the trick to warm the foot to a nice orange glow as I drew in the first sweet and peppery puffs. Follow along as I turn the Blue Line toro to ash.

Cigar Review Notes

Initial light hits the nasal with a pepper burst
Natural sweetness pepper and cedar start to develop
Walnut aroma wafts off the foot
Light grey ash forms on top of a slightly wavy medium char line
Smoke is full with an easy draw
Dry Cocoa and raisin notes fill out the early profile
Ash fell revealing an off centered burn cone
A citrus peel note enters at the start of the second third leaving a lingering citrus on the palate
Though starting more on the mild side, the strength shifts up to medium
Cream and cocoa notes add to the profile deep in the second third
Slight off burn entering final third
Aroma has shifted to more of a coffee aroma
Cream increases as the citrus fades
Light spice enters in the final
Medium Strength
Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 25 minutes

Overall, I found the Blue Line Cigars Toro to be a decent smoke that offered pleasant flavor and aromas throughout the journey. It did have a bit of a wave in the burn that eventually developed an off burn in the final requiring a mild touch up, but I still took this to the nub. This is an easy box buy at $6.75 per stick as it performed as well as many $9.00 – $10.00 cigars I have smoked. As Steve said – it less about the money and more about the people. I rate this a 91.

Point Deductions: (-1) Wave in burn; (-1) Off Burn; (-1) Required Touch Up; (-1) Off-centered burn cone

Bonus Point: (+1) Buy a Box