ATL Black Torpedo – Blind Cigar Review

Cigar Info

ATL Cigar Co updated their core lines ATL Magic, ATL Black and ATL Libertad, for the PCA Trade Show last month. Among those updates was a re-blended version of the ATL Black now being rolled at Tabacalera Pichardo, home of ACE Prime and man Crowned Heads cigars. ATL Black was originally a limited production cigar produced by Jesus Martinez, now it will be a regular production cigar and was blended by Luciano Meirelles.

The re-imagined ATL Black uses the same San Andres wrapper, but with a new binder from the Masaya region, and fillers from Esteli (ASP), Jalapa and Pueblo Nuevo. ATL Black still comes in the original vitola, a 6×52 Torpedo ($11.49), but a new 6.5×56 Gran Toro ($12.49).

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Torpedo
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 52
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Masaya, Nicaragua
Filler: Esteli (ASP), Jalapa and Pueblo Nuevo, Nicaragua
Factory: Tabacalera Pichardo
Blender: Luciano Meirelles
Number of reviewers: 5 – Joseph S. (Bearded Bastard) Jai P. (Jai) Angel M. (Angel) Chris M. (Chris) Randy B. (randobush
Price: $12.40
Age: 2 Months
Release Date: July 2022
Contributed by: ATL Cigar Co.

Initial Impressions – ATL Black Torpedo

Appearance: 89

“The cigar has a dark brown chocolatey wrapper with visible veins and tight visible seams. The cap appears to be a triple cap.” –Angel M. (Angel)

Aroma: 90

“Pasture smell when smelling down the length. Pasture with fresh manure when smelling the foot.” –Randy B. (randobush)

First Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“In the first third, I feel like I’m tasting some leather, with cedar and maybe a dark chocolate flavor. At the end of each draw, I do sense a bit of a spicy tingle and a small amount of black pepper flavor. There is a small harshness I’m getting at the back of my throat nothing too heavy at this point. So far starting off to be very tasty. Feels to be a medium to full-body cigar. The smoke is a little on the dry side, but very cool temperature-wise. In fact, on the retro-hale no significant heat in the nose.” –Angel M. (Angel)

“Primarily getting an Earthy note but I am having issues with a tough draw.” –Jai P. (Jai)

Second Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“2” in and the pretty white ash is still hanging in there. I have the draw formula now down to two short and one long to get the desired smoke in the mouth. Burn is razor sharp. Flavors are baking spice, nougat, earth, black coffee.” –Randy B. (randobush)

“A creamy, earthy coffee, cedar, and slightly burnt sugar hit first. Leather gains a more meat-like quality with the peppercorn attached to it. Some floral notes add to the cedar and occasionally some cocoa pops in with the coffee. The sweetness drops a bit around the midpoint.” –Chris M. (Chris)

Final Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“In the final third the cedar returned although not very strong, leather took over most of the cigar with slight hints of dark chocolate and was not able to pick up the vanilla any longer. The harshness ramped up a bit but was not enough to take away from the overall flavors. I felt like the smoke got dryer at the end of the final third although the temperature of the smoke remained cool helping to balance out the dryness. If not for the ramp-up in harshness you could probably smoke this thing down to a knob. The harshness halfway through the final third did ramp up to a level I personally did not care for.” –Angel M. (Angel)

“Going into the final third, the retrohale is super smooth and delicious. Creamy, 3 musketeers nougat, and baking spice, in that order. The draw has finally loosened up as well, making it much more enjoyable. A salty savory paprika finish rest on the palate in between draws.” –Randy B. (randobush)

Overall Impressions – ATL Black Torpedo

Draw: 87

“First and second third was too much like work getting enough smoke to enjoy, the final third loosened up and saved the experience overall.” –Randy B. (randobush)

Burn: 86

“Beautiful white ash.” –Jai P. (Jai)

Construction: 85

“In regards to the construction, I would say very good, very well-built felt like a dense pack and had a little weight to it, the wrapper felt on the thicker side making for a very stable cigar.” –Angel M. (Angel)

Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
Experience Overall: 88

“Good flavors, just a bit of a tight draw and the cracked wrapper.” –Joseph S. (Bearded Bastard)

“Started earthily and stayed that way until there was no flavor and it was like smoking cardboard.” –Jai P. (Jai)

“Overall, this was a good cigar I felt medium to full-bodied, you definitely want to eat something before you tackle this stick. I prefer a creamier smoke and this one was a bit dry but not enough to be a deterrent. I would definitely smoke this cigar again maybe ending it a little sooner before the harshness took over. All the way through the first, second, and about the middle of the final third the flavors remained fairly consistent with small background changes. For me, the leather, dark chocolate, and cedar dominated regularly throughout the smoke. This will definitely be an evening cigar maybe with an iced coffee to balance out the bit of dryness. Overall, a good cigar and I would definitely smoke it again.” –Angel M. (Angel)

“Really nice flavors and transitions made this a worthwhile smoke. If my experience with the burn wasn’t standard, I’d very easily smoke this again.” –Chris M. (Chris)

“Highlight was def the deliciousness of the retrohale. Transitions were just enough to keep me interested, as the smoke output got better and the flavors meshed to provide a nice creamy, oak bark, nougat, and coffee flavor in the end. Burn got just a bit wonky at the end.” –Randy B. (randobush)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 68

To view the complete scores and notes, click here.

ATL Black Torpedo – Blind Cigar Review