Review of Graycliff Profesionale Handmade Torpedo Cigar

Graycliff makes several lines of cigars, each distinguished by the color of their bands. The Profesionale line is their Blue Label, which is made with an Indonesian wrapper and binder, and a blend of filler tobaccos from Brazil, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Graycliff cigars are made in Nassau, Bahamas by a small staff of cigar rollers managed by Avelino Lara, who used to supervise the Cuban Cohiba brand for many years. The Graycliff cigar factory is part of the Graycliff hotel and restaurant resort, and may be toured by visitors free of charge. Since production is limited, Graycliff cigars are definitely on the pricey side. The two cigars that I smoked for this review were torpedoes measuring 7 ¼ inches in length with a ring gauge of 54. Both cigars had what I would call a semi-shaggy foot, meaning that about ½ inch of filler and binder tobaccos were left exposed outside of the wrapper at the foot of the cigar. In a typical shaggy foot cigar, only the long filler is left exposed (to show that the cigar is made with long filler tobaccos, as opposed to short/mixed fillers). The company has been known to make certain sizes and shapes besides their normal production, such as smaller runs of uncut cigars made entirely by hand (without the use of molds or presses).

Flavor

The cigar's initial flavor was somewhat spicy, and medium in strength. That was before the filler tobaccos burned down to the wrapper. Less than ten minutes after lighting up, the flavor of the wrapper kicked in, and both the flavor and strength began to change. The cigar became more medium-to-full bodied, with a deeper and richer tobacco flavor but with less spice. The trend continued as the cigar was smoked. After smoking about four inches of the cigar, with about three inches remaining, the cigar had transformed into a full bodied stick, and the taste started to become harsh. At that point, I had to put the cigar down. I usually smoke most cigars down to two inches remaining, but if the taste starts getting bad, there is no reason to continue any further. I had the same experience with the second cigar, which I smoked just to confirm my initial impressions of the first cigar.

Draw and Construction

Both cigars were very well made and had great draws. And as with the flavor, both cigars smoked and burned almost exactly the same. The cigars burned evenly, but after about 30 to 35 minutes, relights were required. Less than an hour into the smoke, a second relight was required. When I reached the point of about three inches remaining, the cigar went out for the third time, which was approximately 70 minutes into the smoke. This was the point where I put the cigar down. Now it's not unusual to have to relight a cigar, especially a relatively large cigar, but if that cigar happens to be a super premium stick, then a perfect smoking experience is anticipated and almost always expected.

Value

Graycliff is NOT a value brand of cigars by any stretch of the imagination. Production is limited, tobaccos are top quality, and the cigar rollers are hand picked by one of the most reputable cigar makers on the planet. Even though the cigars are not Cuban, who wouldn't want to try at least one cigar made by Castro's favorite cigar maker? That being said, be prepared to pay around $20 per stick for certain Graycliff cigars. Prices vary by size, by line, and by vendor, so it pays to shop around. I saw the Profesionale Handmade Torpedoes selling online for as much as $500 for a box of 24 cigars. However, like other exclusive limited production cigars, prices can vary greatly, and supplies can be extremely limited. With cigars like these, I recommend buying only one or two single sticks just for the experience. Do not purchase an entire box without tasting one first. But if the reputation and story behind these cigars are not factors in your buying decision, then let's just say that you can always find better tasting cigars for a fraction of the price of a Graycliff.