CA Review Panel: JFR Lunatic Torch Cigar Review (Video)

JFR Lunatic Torch Cigars – The Back Story

“You need to be a little crazy to smoke these cigars,” says the Aganorsa Leaf Cigars website. “With sizes as large as 8×80, the Lunatic selection was blended for those who believe bigger is better…and in this case they are right.” All Lunatic cigars are made with Aganorsa estate-grown tobaccos, providing all the rich Nicaraguan flavor cigar smokers nationwide have come to love, but at a very affordable price.

The JFR Lunatic Torch selection was originally released in 2016 as a single size in a 7″x50 Churchill. Then, in May of this year the line was re-released as an expanded, three cigar selection with new sizes, bands, and packaging, while keeping the distinctive shaggy foot, which exposes an average of three-eighths to an half-inch of the cigar’s dual binder and filler core. The idea is that these vitolas allow you to smoke the fillers for the first several puffs before they merge with the naturally sweet Jalapa Corojo wrapper. It’s a savory departure for cigar smokers who appreciate something a little different and want to get a better idea of how the wrapper affects the overall taste of the blend.

JFR Lunatic Torch cigars are also handcrafted in two other sizes: Visionaries (6 ½” x 52) and Mad Folk (4 ¾”x 70).

JFR Lunatic Torch Cigar Review – Dreamlands

Factory: Aganorsa Leaf, Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6½x60, shaggy or brushed foot
Wrapper: Nicaragua Jalapa Corojo
Double Binder & Filler: Aganorsa estate-grown from Estelí and Jalapa
Presentation: Boxes of 10 cigars

Jared Gulick’s Tasting Notes…

Construction: Reddish brown and smooth, with some fine tooth if you look closely. The brushed foot gives it a rustic appearance, as does some easily identifiable rolling lines.
Draw: Consistent and smooth.
Pre-light flavor: Quite spicy with some fruity elements.
Toasting & Light: Woody, salty, and creamy.
Base flavors: Mostly wood. And slightly sweet notes of earth. Flavors get richer as it burns, and even turns slightly tangy toward the last third.
Retrohale: Smoother than I expected, similar flavors to what I experienced on the palate.
Aroma: Spicy (but not peppery). Almost like herbs.
Burn & Ash Quality: Solid ash with a slightly jagged burn…chalked up to smoking it outside.
Balance of flavors: On the earthy side at first, but balances if you stay for the long haul.

Summary

First things first. I was surprised by how tame this cigar was. It’s not mellow, but it isn’t strong either. Aganorsa usually serves up a spicier smoke, but with this one, the oomph just wasn’t there. To be fair, that’s probably weighted heavily on the ring gauge – I normally smoke much thinner cigars. It makes a difference. But is it a bad thing? Not really. If I want something strong, I could go for just about anything else in Aganorsa’s bag of tricks. Lunatic Torch is there to enjoy if I’m looking for something with less edge.

Regarding flavor, there’s three very definitive acts. The cigar opens to notes that are woody, earthy, and lightly sweet. It doesn’t change until the halfway mark. There, the smoke becomes richer. That buttery note I get from virtually every one of their cigars kicks in, too, and it stays that way through the end. The last third of Torch’s burn got a little tangy, almost herbal, even – maybe tea? – which is also the best way I can describe the retrohale.

In summary, Lunatic Torch gave me a lot of what I expect from Aganorsa, and it showed me that they can deliver top-notch flavor on mellower spectrums, too. That’s not easy to accomplish.

John Pullo’s Tasting Notes…

Construction: Brush foot leads to an oily, chocolate brown wrapper that shows just a few veins and seams. Draw: Good airflow with minimal resistance.
Pre-light flavor: Smells of well-fermented tobacco, plus that classic barnyard aroma – hay and old wood. Pre-light taste is earth and cedar, plus a little zip of sweet spice on the tongue.
Toasting & Light: Spice, cedar and pepper burst forth in thick and chewy smoke.
Base flavors: Earth, cedar, pepper and caramel sweetness.
Retrohale: Wood, sweet and with a lingering pinch of spice. Aroma: Strong and sweet – hay and well-seasoned wood.
Burn & Ash Quality: Burns mostly straight with a fine line, with a nicely stacked ash.
Balance of flavors: Consistent on the base flavors from beginning to end.

Summary

The brush foot takes a little bit of work to get evenly lit. But once it does, look out – HUGE rips of thick smoke burst out of the Torch, filled with cedar, earth and pepper. And it’s not long before some nice caramel sweetness shows up around the fringes.

That thick, sweet taste sticks around until about the halfway mark – as it tapers off, this JFR leans back on those woody, earthy base notes for the rest of the two hours. I’d say pair it with a bourbon to add some sweetness back into the mix, and to complement the stripe of pepper the Aganorsa tobaccos lay across your tongue.

What I found most interesting about the JFR Lunatic Torch is that, even though it looks and feels like a “new” style of smoke (think Drew Estate or AJ Fernandez, as opposed to a more “classic” vibe like Oliva or My Father) – it smokes like a cigar with a lot of age. There are no rough edges, no over-the-top intensity. That’s why I call it a great “lounge cigar”: you get the big, full flavors up front, then get to focus on the conversation and enjoy your drinks (yes, it smokes long enough for a second round) for the rest of the time it takes to burn through it.

If you’re looking for a 60-ring Nicaraguan that won’t make you sweat for 120 minutes of full-tilt intensity, jump on this Lunatic without a second thought.

Gary Korbs’s Tasting Notes…

Construction and Overall Appearance: Excellent. The evenly colored wrapper is nice and oily, impeccably rolled, and finished with a triple cap. The cigar was firmly packed throughout, and although the brushed foot on mine was a bit on the short side, I was still able to appreciate that changeover from binder and filler, to wrapper, binder, and filler.
Draw (airflow): Perfect.
Pre-light flavor (cold draw): Salty and woody – let’s say, cedary.
Toasting & Light: Easy. I purposely used a single jet lighter so I could better caramelize the binder and filler. The result was a very creamy start with good volume, cedary notes and a bit of pepper that sneaks up into the nasal passages. Additionally, the high combustibility of the binders makes quick work of the burn, getting you to the wrapper pretty quickly.
First few puffs: Slightly earthy, woody, and a hint of sweetness.
Base flavors: Light salt, sweet cedar, butter cream.
Aroma: Sweet.
Burn / Ash Quality: Very good. The cigar burned faster than I expected. Ash is a little flaky, but the burn is even.
Retrohale: Smooth.
Balance of flavors: Excellent. Mostly woody, creamy, and sweet.

Summary

The JFR Lunatic Torch Dreamlands may appear a little intimidating at first, but it’s quite the contrary, especially once you put fire to it. The cigar starts-off impressively “mellow” and never really veers too far from medium in body or strength. After lighting the brushed foot, once you get to the wrapper everything comes together nicely like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle and smooths right out.

Once you get well into the first act, Dreamlands reveals the spoiler. It’s not complex in terms of myriad changes, but once it locks in on those core flavors it sticks to its guns. Even well into the midsection it’s like licking the spoon from your Mom’s cake batter. Moreover, the cigar kept its cool even when it got down to the final inches.

Since I rarely smoke 60-ringers, I found the JFR Lunatic Torch Dreamlands very impressive. Thanks to its medium body, excellent balance of flavors and creamy smoke, this Lunatic is a long, relaxing cigar that cigar smokers from novice to pro can enjoy. And for those who haven’t yet discovered the virtues of Aganorsa Cigars, for both its price and flavor profile, the Dreamlands makes a rewarding and practical start.