Elephant Appreciation Day is September 22, but you don't have to wait until then to enjoy a Thompson Tusker cigar and a glass of Amarula liqueur. First of all, Amarula is a cream liqueur (17% alcohol) made from the marula fruit that grows in South Africa. Elephants and other animals get drunk on the ripened fruit when it falls from the Marula trees (watch video). The Thompson Tusker cigar is made in the Dominican Republic with a blend of filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Nicaragua. Tuskers are made with Connecticut Ecuadorian wrappers, and are available in five different sizes, all selling for the same price. The torpedo shape/size that we paired with Amarula measures 6 ½ inches in length with a ring gauge of 52. The band on these cigars is a work of art, featuring an elephant with large tusks. What a great match with the elephant pictured on the label on the bottle of Amarula.
Flavor
Tuskers are medium flavored cigars. The taste was pretty consistent amongst the five different sizes available (I tried them all). However, to me, the taste and texture of the smoke from the torpedo seemed to be the smoothest. This is a very good tasting cigar, especially for the price. Amarula has a taste that is somewhat similar to Irish Cream, although the two are not the same. The taste is somewhat lighter and fruitier than Baileys, with flavors of caramel and hints of vanilla and chocolate. When I paired the Amarula with the Tusker Torpedo, I not only experienced an explosion of international flavors on my palate from several different countries, I also enjoyed a most memorable smoke coupled with a unique libation that few have experienced. I am glad to have the opportunity to share this experience with other cigar smokers.Draw & Construction
The Tusker Torpedo has an excellent draw, and is very well constructed. The cigar burned evenly, held a long ash, and did not require any relights. I also liked the feel and appearance of this cigar, although that is not a major factor in my overall evaluation.Value
At of cost of $52 for a box of 25, Thompson Tusker cigars are an excellent value. Although Thompson Cigar sells many different brands of cigars, their greatest strength could be the company's ability to develop their own cigar blends, and offer them at very reasonable prices. On the other hand, Amarula cream liqueur is a unique libation, for which you must pay a premium price of about $20 for a 750ml bottle. Baileys Irish Cream is still the standard for cream liqueurs, and although it is also pricey compared to others, it is still a few dollars less than Amarula. In addition, Baileys will not break down when mixed with coffee, and also tastes great straight up. Amarula tastes great straight, but does not mix as well in coffee. However, I recommend trying it at least one time, and experience the flavor that drives elephants to drink (too bad they can't enjoy a Tusker cigar, also).NOTE: If the "Compare Prices" button cannot locate any Tusker cigars, visit Thompson Cigar.
