The Ara’o Terrón Maduro Churchill is handcrafted at the Tabacos de Oriente factory in Honduras and showcases a blend centered around Honduran tobaccos with Nicaraguan accents. The cigar is expressed in a (6½ x 52) Churchill vitola and is packaged in 10-count boxes with an MSRP of $13.00/cigar.
The blend is described as:
- Wrapper – Honduran Jamastran Habano Maduro
- Binder – Honduran Jamastran Habano
- Filler – Habano seco from Jalapa (Honduras), Broadleaf from Honduras, viso from Jamastrán (Honduras), and ligero from Estelí (Nicaragua)
The Terrón Maduro is intended to deliver a fuller-bodied smoking experience while allowing the character of the tobacco to evolve throughout the journey.
Pre-Light Examination
The Ara’o Terrón Maduro Churchill presents itself with a dark brown wrapper accented by subtle marbling and a handful of noticeable veins. The wrapper carries very little sheen, favoring a more natural matte appearance, while the cigar feels firmly packed from head to foot. A well-applied cap completes the construction.
Two bands adorn the cigar, the primary band combines earthy tones with metallic accents, prominently displaying the Ara’o branding. A footer band is also applied using the same motif and declares this as the Terrón.
Bringing the cigar to the nose reveals rich barnyard aromas along the wrapper, while the foot offers inviting cracker-like notes with underlying earthy and peppery spice.
I opened the cap using my CigarMedics Baller Cutter, and the cold draw delivered an ideal amount of resistance. The draw was excellent, allowing earthy flavors and measured pepper spice to coat the palate before the first light.
For this review, I sampled one of these which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Cigar Journey
Using my dual-flame torch, I warmed the foot and brought the Terrón Maduro to life. The opening puffs were sharp on the palate, immediately introducing a bold wave of black pepper. The retrohale intensified the peppery spice, while a touch of cracker began to soften the aggressive opening. A light gray ash formed atop a mildly wavy char line as the cigar settled into the first third.
The ash dropped during the opening third, revealing an off-centered burn cone. Despite the slightly uneven combustion, the flavor profile continued to develop.
Moving into the second third, the pepper backed away and the cigar became noticeably more refined. Cracker notes moved to the forefront alongside a touch of earth and a subtle fruit note. As the second third progressed, that fruit transformed into a bitter citrus rind sensation that lingered along the sides of the tongue.
Around the midway point, a natural tobacco sweetness joined the profile, complementing the lingering cracker note and creating a more balanced experience. A touch-up was required to bring the burn back into line.
The final third maintained the core flavors established in the middle portion of the cigar. The natural tobacco sweetness and cracker notes remained the foundation while a gentle spice gradually returned to round out the finish. Although the cigar required a touch-up earlier in the journey, it remained cool in the hand throughout the entire smoking experience, allowing the flavors to remain clean until the final puffs.
Final Thoughts
The Ara’o Terrón Maduro Churchill begins with an assertive, pepper-driven opening before transitioning into a much more refined profile centered on cracker, natural tobacco sweetness, earth, and an interesting bitter citrus component. While the burn exhibited a few imperfections, including an off-centered burn cone and a required touch-up, the cigar never overheated and continued to reward patience with evolving flavors. At an hour and thirty minutes, it provided a leisurely smoking experience with enough transitions to remain engaging.
Strength: Medium-Full
Smoking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Buy Recommendation: Worth picking up a five-pack. The balanced second half and cool-burning nature make it a cigar that deserves another visit.
