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The New World Puro Especial Toro is a 6 1/2 x 52 Nicaraguan puro by AJ Fernandez with a Criollo ’98 wrapper over Estelà binder and filler. Cigar Aficionado ranked it No. 12 among its Top 25 cigars of 2017, and we sell it as singles.
4 in stock
Description
The New World Puro Especial Toro is a 6 1/2 x 52 Nicaraguan puro from AJ Fernandez, pairing a Criollo ’98 wrapper with binder and filler grown in EstelÃ. Cigar Aficionado’s 2017 launch report says every leaf in the blend carries three to five years of age.
What It Tastes Like
Cigar Insider gave the Toro 93 points on September 19, 2017, calling it medium-full. Its tasters found a layered smoke built on cocoa and leather, brightened by coffee bean, caramel sweetness and a touch of licorice. Cigar Aficionado later ranked it No. 12 in its Top 25 cigars of 2017, again at 93 points, in a rating dated January 1, 2018.
Who It’s For
- Nicaraguan puro fans who want every leaf to come from one growing region.
- Fans of sweeter notes drawn to the cocoa and caramel tasters described.
- Toro lovers who prefer it to the line’s Robusto or Short Churchill.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- A Cigar Aficionado Top 25 pick for 2017 (No. 12)
- Leaf from Fernandez-owned Estelà farms, with the wrapper from San José, per Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Coop
Cons
- Strength labels range from medium to full
- No independent review of this size newer than 2018 that we found
About the Puro Especial
AJ Fernandez developed the blend with his father, Ismael, and showed it at the 2017 IPCPR trade show as the third New World blend. A 6 x 58 Gordo followed in 2018; Cigar Coop’s 2021 packaging report rated it the boldest blend in the four-blend New World family.
Pairing and Storage
With coffee bean and caramel in the tasting notes, try espresso or bourbon, both suggested in our cigar pairing guide, and keep it in a humidor as our humidor basics guide describes.
Compare Similar Cigars
- New World Dorado Toro: an all-Nicaraguan 6 x 54 under sun-grown Habano leaf, per halfwheel.
- New World Decenio Toro: the line’s tenth-anniversary blend in a 6 1/2 x 54 with a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, per Neptune Cigar.
- New World Cameroon Churchill: a 7 x 48 with Cameroon leaf over Nicaraguan tobacco, per halfwheel.
New World Puro Especial Toro FAQ
How strong is the New World Puro Especial Toro?
Accounts vary: Cigar Insider (September 2017) and Cigar Aficionado (January 2018) rated this size medium-full, Neptune Cigar lists medium, and JR Cigar says full.
What wrapper does the Puro Especial use?
A Nicaraguan Criollo ’98 leaf from AJ Fernandez’s San José farm, according to the 2017 launch reports from Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Coop.
What size is this Toro?
It measures 6 1/2 inches with a 52 ring gauge, the longest of the four sizes Cigar Coop listed for the line in 2021.
Did the 2021 redesign change the blend?
No. Cigar Coop reported in June 2021 that only the band and box changed; the tobacco stayed the same.
Browse the rest of Fernandez’s lineup on our AJ Fernandez cigars page.
Additional information
| Packaging Type | Single |
|---|---|
| Strength | Medium |
| Origin | |
| Wrapper | Nicaragua |
| Binder | Nicaragua |
| Filler | Nicaragua |
| Length | 6 1/2" |
| Gauge | 52 |
