Caldwell Cigars Long Live the Queen Toro

The name Caldwell is synonymous with boutique cigars. They are one of the first brands to start crafting small batch blends in the second wave of boutique cigars. Coupled with Lost and Found, Robert Caldwell has always pushed the line with his creations. Perhaps most well known for cigars like Long Live the King and the King is Dead, one of his recent cigar releases is a follow-up called Long Live the Queen. Created to be a regular production cigar, this blend has seen its fair share of a rocky start. Rolled at the El Maestro factory in the Dominican Republic by the Ventura family, the new blend debuted earlier this year. However, getting your hands on it has proved a challenge. Unfortunately, the Ventura factory fell victim to a fire and seriously impacted many of Caldwell’s production, this one included.

Caldwell Long Live the Queen uses a natural-looking Cameroon wrapper over a Sumatra binder and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Released in several sizes, the Toro measures 6×50 and is a great interpretation of the blend. Something I appreciate about this cigar, beyond the stellar packaging and the complexity, is the fact that it is released in a ten count box. When you have cigars that lean on a higher price point, it makes picking up a box more accessible.

In terms of flavor, Long Live the Queen Toro offers a slight spice on the light, followed by earth and sweetness. As it continues, a complex shift of gingersnap, cedar, more earth, and burnt or caramelized sugar. While I would put the strength around a medium at most, the body of the smoke is pretty dense and the flavor full. I tend to lean toward Nicaraguan cigars and heavier blends, but this Caldwell caught me by surprise. It demonstrates the Cameroon flavor exceptionally well and stands out among the rest of Caldwell’s portfolio. In fact, I think the Caldwell Long Live the Queen gives the King is Dead and his others a run for their money!