Today I would like to offer another review of a Schoelen Cigars product. This one is known as the Exklusiv. This is the second offering in their line of cigars and the company promises there are more blends to come.
As for the blend, the company describes this one as:
- Wrapper – Habano Ecuador
- Binder – Nicaraguan
- Filler – Nicaraguan (Seco, Viso, Ligero)
The Schoelen Exklusiv is currently expressed in a single (6 x 53) Toro vitola and comes packaged in 20-count boxes with an MSRP of $22.00/cigar.
This cigar has been handcrafted at the Las Villas Factory in Estelí, Nicaragua which the company notes is different than the factory for their Originell offering.
For this review, I sampled two of the The Schoelen Exklusiv cigars that I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Schoelen Exklusiv Toro is cloaked in a dark tan smooth to the touch wrapper that exhinits a nice sheen. There are some noticeable veins running through the barrel. The cigar is well packed with no soft spots detected. triple cap smooth wrapper some veins no soft spots nice sheen
A single band adorns the cigar using the same design as the Originell but declaring this as the Schoelen Exklusiv.
Running the cigar along the nose I picked up pungent barnyard notes off the foot and a soft baking spice note along the barrel
Once I sliced the cap straight across the shoulder of the cigar, I found the cold draw is just perfect with restriction and offered a pleasant stone fruit note and a bit of peppery spice.
I used my dual flame torch to warm the foot and drew in the first blast of pepper to start the journey. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial draws offer cream notes and a solid peppery retrohale
- A white ash forms on top of a medium thick char line
- Dark chocolate notes with a hint of fruit join the mix deep in the first third
- Ash drops early, revealing a well formed and centered burn cone to start
- Moving through the second third there was a distinct set of woody notes
- The midway point brings forth a pleasant spice but also a some burn issues
- Flavor development stayed consistent into the final with a just bit more forward spice and fruit
- Medium Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 40 minutes
Final Analysis
The initial draws of The Schoelen Exklusiv Toro deliver creamy notes on the palate, accompanied by a solid peppery retrohale that adds an early layer of intensity. A bright white ash forms atop a medium thick char line. Deep into the first third, dark chocolate notes begin to emerge, accented by a subtle hint of fruit that rounds out the profile nicely. The ash drops early, revealing a well-formed and centered burn cone to start the journey.
As the cigar transitions into the second third, a distinct set of woody notes takes hold, adding structure and depth to the evolving blend. Near the midway point, a pleasant spice comes forward, though a few burn issues develop and require some attention. Despite this, the flavor progression remains steady and engaging.
As we get into the final third, the profile stays largely consistent, with the spice and fruit notes becoming slightly more forward. The cigar carries these flavors through to the finish, delivering a satisfying and acceptable conclusion. I would say check a fiver if you can.
Point Deductions: (-1) Early wave in burn; (-1) Off burn needing touchup; (-1) Not very complex
