Emilio audiophile Toro – Blind Cigar Review

Cigar Info

The Emilio brand was taken over by James Brown and brought into the Black Label Trading Company Family in 2019. Prior to that, the brand was owned by the Zucca family. Last year, Emilio Cigars announced two new Limited Edition cigars, Emilio Audiophile and Emilio Suave Maduro.

The blend for Audiophone uses an Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper, Ecuadorian Habano binder, and Nicaraguan fillers. It comes in one size, a 5×52 robusto in 20 count boxes. MSRP is $10.50 per stick. Audiophile is rolled in Esteli, Nicaragua at Fabrica Oveja Negra. The artwork and blend for both these cigars were created by James Brown, owner of BLTC and Fabrica Oveja Negra. While this is a limited edition, production numbers are not given.

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Toro
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 50
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro
Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: Fabrica Oveja Negra
Blender: James Brown
Number of reviewers: 5 – Diana (ArmyRN) Noah S. (Noah) Angel M. (Angel) Kevin J. (maninblack77) Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
Price: $11.00
Age: 2 Months
Release Date: July 2023
Contributed by: Black Label Trading Co.

Initial Impressions – Emilio Audiophile Toro

Appearance: 94

“Dark brown wrapper with a very oily sheen. There are large visible veins, and tight visible seems. It appears to have a large double cap.” –Angel M. (Angel)

Aroma: 94

“The body of the cigar showcases some earthy tones dominated by well-used leather. The foot has a sweet floral note with noticeable spice. If I smell it too long it makes me want to sneeze. The cold draw is a nice combination of everything I have experienced so far. The highlight is a dried fruit sweet that sticks around for a while.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

First Third

Flavor: 94
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“In the first third, I am picking up a heavy amount of cocoa followed by I faint amount of baking spice, ending with a small amount black of pepper which lingers on the tongue for a little bit. The smoke texture is very smooth and cool in temperature.” –Angel M. (Angel)

“Upon toasting the foot, my sniffer is met with a distinctly sweet and pleasant aroma. The initial puffs produce mouthfuls of rich smoke that is quite smooth but certainly dry on the finish. Black pepper spice, tannin-rich charred oak, and an array of floral notes seem to dominate early on. About half an inch in, a certain tangy sweetness enters the picture. Up front, the smoke is becoming decadently creamy, nutty, and sweet, reminiscent of marzipan. The finish is now distinct with notes of milk chocolate, hints of cherry, and licorice which reminds me very much of a chocolate-covered cherry. The retro accentuates and balances the nutty sweetness with a peppery spice which brings to mind a rich and creamy Mexican hot chocolate. A nice nicotine buzz begins to build as the first third comes to a close.” –Noah S. (Noah)

Second Third

Flavor: 94
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“Once I get cigar relit it drops right back into a steady helping of sweetness, floral, and earthy notes with a hint of spice on the backend. The smoke on the palate has turned chewy and the finish has lengthened. As I reach the midway point of this third the cigar goes out again. I'm not sure if I am doing something wrong or if it is the cigar. The smoke is light and the finish is long.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

“The second third begins much like the first third. Tons of leather and chocolate and espresso. But again, issues with the combustion and burn rear their ugly heads. Tons of relights are needed. The draw has also gotten quite snug. If the construction would keep up with the flavors, this cigar would be amazing.” –Kevin J. (maninblack77)

Final Third

Flavor: 92
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“Going into the last third of this cigar, I wasn't sure what to expect. However, it did not disappoint. The strength remained steady, and the complexity of notes seemed to shift again. The mineral flavor faded a bit and the leather mixed with floral notes, almost like the smell of a carnation, hit my palette. As the smoke progressed the coffee, chocolate, and leather emerged more, and the cigar finished out still full of flavor and richness.” –Diana (ArmyRN)

“The spice note has jumped to the forefront and taken over the profile pushing everything else to the background. The spice tingles my lips and the tip of my tongue. The smoke has gotten heavier on the palate staying around for a good long time. Strength and body have jumped up a full notch.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

Overall Impressions – Emilio Audiophile Toro

Draw: 94

“The draw was super easy for this cigar. It allows for a long, cool smoking experience.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

Burn: 93

“One minor touch-up and a single re-light were needed but overall this stick burned like a champ.” –Noah S. (Noah)

Construction: 93

“Excellent construction, everything held together very nicely, the cigar felt good in the hand with a decent weight and an excellent pack.” –Angel M. (Angel)

Overall Strength: Medium-Strong
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
Experience Overall: 94

“I was intrigued by this cigar from my first look. Nice looking, well-constructed, and a near-perfect burn were not the only things going for this stick. The flavors were plentiful from the start and varied throughout. At times complimenting each other and at others, taking over to let their individual notes shine. This was a nub-worthy cigar for me and hit all the “likes” on my personal cigar preference list. I'd buy a box for sure.” –Diana (ArmyRN)

“When a cigar doesn't feature a ton of transitions and only minor changes throughout the smoke, I often wonder if the redundancies amongst the notes make for a boring review. Thankfully for me, this cigar was anything but boring and I wasn't the slightest bit mad at the lack of transitions! From start to finish, my palate was greeted with the smoothest of smoke that seemingly got creamier with each and every puff. A splendid balance of flavors and a complex mix of notes that were creamy, nutty, tangy, sweet, and spicy had my tastebuds swooning the entire time. The near-perfect draw, trouble-free burn, and solid nicotine buzz only added to an already incredible smoking experience that I can not wait to have again. I for one am excited to pair this smoke with a number of different beverages and I can definitely see it landing in my normal rotation of favorites.” –Noah S. (Noah)

“Overall, the cigar was fantastic. The flavors were wonderful and great balance throughout most of the cigar. The smoke texture was icing on the cake as it was very smooth and cool in temperature. I will definitely add this cigar in my rotation, and I'm looking forward to finding what it is.” –Angel M. (Angel)

“For a cigar that started off with a lot of promise, the wheels fell off near the end of the second third. The flavors in the first third were very enjoyable but the construction issues could not be overlooked. Bad combustion combined with a tight draw ended the experience prematurely. I wouldn't write this cigar off altogether, maybe it was just a bad cigar in the box. But the cons definitely outweighed the pros for me.” –Kevin J. (maninblack77)

“For all of the good, I can't overlook the flaws. I will have to revisit this cigar once I find out what it is so I can give it a chance to redeem itself. For now, I find it hard to recommend it to anyone.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 83

To view the complete scores and notes, click here.

Emilio audiophile Toro – Blind Cigar Review