Introduced to the market in early 2024, the Luciano Cigars UNDERRATED cigar is an homage to Basketball legend – Ron Harper. This is not just a celebrity cigar, but rather a cigar that was blended in collaboration with Harper himself. “Underrated” cigars and Harper’s collaboration is a testament to the beauty of discovery and the true value that lies in the unexpected. Just as Harper’s contributions on the court often transcended the spotlight, “Underrated” cigars offer a smoking experience that exceeds the bounds of preconceptions, inviting connoisseurs to explore depth, complexity, and satisfaction beyond the conventional.
Harper Himself Noted:
“In every stage of my career, I’ve seen firsthand how the unexpected can harbor greatness. This partnership on the construction of Underrated is a homage to those moments and to everyone who revels in the joy of discovering the exceptional in the unanticipated. When you defy expectations, you have a chance to delight in the underrated!”
Luciano Cigars has taken Connecticut Broadleaf and Ecuadorian HVA, customarily seen as wrappers, and reinvented them as fillers for this blend. The full blend is described as:
- Wrapper – Mexican San Andres
- Binder – Pueblo Nuevo Medio Tiempo
- Filler – Connecticut Broadleaf and Ecuadorian HVA
Underrated is packaged in boxes of 20 and are expressed in 5 vitolas with an extremely wallet friendly pricing:
- Sublime (6 ½ x 54) – MSRP $8.50 USD
- Toro Especial (6 ¼ x 52) – MSRP $8.20 USD
- Robusto Extra (5 ½ x 50) – MSRP $7.90 USD
- Corona Gorda (5 ⅝ x 46) – MSRP $7.50 USD
- Gordo (6 x 60) Summer Breeze – MSRP $9.99 USD
Ed Trevino, Vice President of Sales of Luciano Cigars states:
“After months of seeing Luciano experimenting with these tobaccos, I was in awe when he gave me a mystery to smoke at our factory in Nicaragua last summer. This cigar is a tribute to Luciano’s imagination. His ingenious use of high-quality leaves in non-traditional roles brings forth an unparalleled sensory journey, proving that magnificence often lies unnoticed.”
Luciano Meirelles, President/Founder of Luciano Cigars stated:
“The story of ‘Underrated’ is about surprise – the unexpected pleasure of discovering something remarkable where one least expects it.”
The cigars are produced at the Luciano Cigars Factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, and shipped to retail partners in January 2024.
For this review, I sampled two of the Underrated Toro Especials, which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Luciano Cigars UNDERRATED Toro Especial is cloaked in a dark brown and slightly marbled wrapper that exhibits a mild toothiness and a light oily sheen. The wrapper has some noticeable veins and has a few bumps along the barrel. The cigar is firm to the touch with no soft spots along the barrel. A well applied triple cap finishes the construction.
A single, thin, white and gold band adorns the cigar simply declaring it as the underrated with a line drawn through it.
Running the cigar along the nose I noted baking spice notes along the barrel while the foot exuded notes of earth and floral fruit.
Using my double blade Xikar cutter, I sliced the cap straight across the shoulder of the cigar and gave it some cold draws that offered notes of pepper and nut.
With the pre-light examination out of the way, I warmed the foot with my dual flame lighter and drew in the first puffs of sweet cream and pepper to start the journey. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Sweet cream and pepper start the journey
- A white ash forms on top of a thin wavy char line
- Graham cracker notes quickly join the mix
- Dark chocolate notes evolve along with a mouthwatering citrus rind
- The ash fell in a decent chunk revealing an off centered burn cone
- Caramel candied notes are presented moving into the second third
- Ash is a tad flaky
- Subtle spice notes join the mix
- Earthiness grows deep in the second third
- The dark chocolate and spice maintain down into the final
- Medium Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 40 minutes
Final Analysis
The Luciano Cigars UNDERRATED Toro Especial journey begins with a rich blend of sweet cream and a hint of pepper. Soon, the initial flavors are complemented by a crisp graham cracker essence. As the journey progresses, dark chocolate notes intertwine with a tantalizing citrus rind, creating a mouthwatering contrast. Moving into the second third, caramelized candy notes emerge, accompanied by subtle hints of spice. The earthy undertones deepen, adding complexity as the cigar evolves. Throughout the final third, the dark chocolate and spices continue to harmonize, offering a satisfying conclusion to the flavor journey. Even with the slight burn issues, the price point on this makes for an easy box buy for an enjoyable smoking experience. I rate this a 92.
Point Deductions: (-1) Wavy Burn; (-1) Off centered Burn Cone; (-1) Flaky Ash
Bonus Points: (+1) Box Buy
