Nicholas Fusco, the dynamic young owner of El Mago Cigars, made his mission known at this year’s PCA trade show. As noted by Nicholas, the El Mago brand is dedicated to his grandparents who endured many obstacles throughout their lives. Today we look at the El Mago Triunfante Connecticut, a cigar blend that salutes his grandparent’s triumph of the spirit and ability to overcome adversity. Nicholas’ grandparents, Gonzalo and Maria, sadly passed away during the collapse of Surfside’s Champlain Towers condominium in Miami in 2021. “Triunfante” is the Spanish word for triumphant.
- Wrapper– Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
- Binder – Corojo
- Filler – Nicaragua
The El Mago Triunfante is expressed in a single (6 x 52) Toro vitola and comes packaged in a bright yellow metal tubo with 10 tubos in a box. The MSRP is set at $12.00/cigar. I absolutely love the packaging.
The El Mago Triunfante Toro is handcrafted at Miguel Pinto’s MGE Cigars Factory in Estelí.
For this review, I sampled two of the El Mago Triunfante Toros which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie press.
Pre-Light Examination
Once the El Mago Triunfante is removed from its tubo, your eyes gaze upon a golden tan and silky-smooth wrapper. There are just a few noticeable veins in the wrapper. The cigar exhibits a perfect give from head to foot. A well applied triple cap finished the construction.
Besides the vibrant colored tubo it comes encased in the cigar also is adorned by a colorful primary band that shows Nicks grandparents and the name El Mago on the bottom. There is also a black satin footer band. The beautiful dark leaf in the fill is enticing just to look at.
Running the cigar along the nose I picked up a ripe barnyard aroma along the barrel while the foot offered a rich fermented leaf note.
Using my CigarMedics Baller cutter, I opened the cap perfectly and gave the cigar a few cold draw puffs that offered an immediate natural tobacco sweetness with a mild but growing pepper spice and a touch of fruit.
I chose to use the soft flame of a cedar spill to warm the foot and drew in the first puffs of dry fruit notes on the palate along with a rich pepper note on the nose. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- First puffs offer notes of dry fruit along with pepper notes on the nose
- A white ash forms on top of a medium thick char line
- Full volume of smoke and smooth draw on each puff
- Natural sweetness and cream add to the fruit delight
- A nice chunk of ash drops revealing a decent burn cone near the end of first third
- The early pepper is showing as black pepper moving into the second third
- Nut nuances add to the complexity
- Pepper notes slowly morph into a cinnamon essence midway
- Maple syrup aroma enhances the pleasure
- Mild jag in burn
- Light earth notes down into the final
- Mild to medium in strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1hour and 30 minutes
Final Analysis
The initial draws of the El Mago Triunfante Toro reveal dry fruit aromas with hints of pepper, enticing the senses. Each puff yields a full volume of smoke and a smooth draw. Natural sweetness and creamy undertones complement the fruity flavors, creating a delightful experience. The early pepper notes transition into a more refined black pepper as the cigar progresses into the second third. Nuances of nuts add complexity, blending seamlessly with a developing essence of cinnamon. A lingering aroma of maple syrup enriches the overall enjoyment. This is a flavorful Connecticut that I say is a box buy. I rate this a 95.
Point Deductions: (-1) Mild jag in burn deep in the journey
Bonus Points: (+1) Box Buy; (+1) Well balanced and Pleasurable across multiple samples
