Excalibur 1066 Toro by Hoyo de Monterrey Review

Overview

There is a certain quiet defiance in lighting an Excalibur in an era that worships at the altar of pepper bombs and barrel-aged monsters. The 1066 Toro is not a cigar that demands your attention; it earns it through a slow, deliberate unraveling that feels less like a performance and more like a conversation with an old friend who happens to have impeccable taste. From the first cold draw, there's a promise of restraint—a whisper of sweet hay and a faint, almost shy suggestion of cedar that tells you this is a Honduran blend that trusts its aging rather than its volume. The pre-light aroma is all sun-warmed leather and a touch of barnyard, a sensory handshake that prepares you for a smoke that will reward patience over intensity.

Once lit, the opening third unfolds with a toasted cedar that is immediately recognizable but never aggressive, wrapped in a creaminess that coats the palate like a soft blanket. The retrohale is where the cigar first shows its character—a gentle white pepper that tingles rather than bites, followed by a dried hay note that evokes a late-summer field. The finish is short and clean, with a mild almond-like nuttiness that lingers just long enough to make you want another draw. It's an opening that feels almost pastoral, a deliberate pace that sets the stage for what's to come.

By the second third, the Excalibur begins to reveal its deeper intentions. The creaminess remains as a constant, but now it's joined by a light leather that adds a savory counterpoint, and a baking spice—think cinnamon and a whisper of nutmeg—that warms the profile without ever tipping into sweetness. A faint cocoa powder emerges on the retrohale, dusting the palate with a subtle bitterness that balances the cream. The draw becomes notably smooth, not in a lazy way, but in the way a well-aged tobacco should feel—effortless, with a subtle sweetness that hints at the caramel to come. This is the heart of the cigar, where the Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers find their harmony, and the smoke, now voluminous and velvety, feels like it's wrapping around you rather than passing through.

The final third is where the 1066 Toro shows its maturity. The wood notes deepen from cedar to a more pronounced oak, and an earthy undertone—think damp forest floor—anchors the profile. The caramel sweetness that was hinted at earlier now comes forward, not as a dessert-like sugar but as a rich, almost burnt-sugar note that pairs beautifully with the returning pepper, which has gained a moderate presence but never turns harsh. The finish is clean and medium-length, leaving a lingering impression of toasted nuts and a faint, pleasant bitterness that invites a final sip of coffee. It's a closing that feels resolved, not exhausted—a cigar that knows when to end and does so with grace.

What makes the Excalibur 1066 Toro distinctive is not any single note but the way it holds its composure. It's a relic of the golden Honduran era, a time when blends were built on balance rather than shock value. The HATSA factory's construction is reliable—the burn is even, the ash holds in solid columns, and the smoke production is generous—but the real achievement is the blend's ability to remain approachable without becoming boring. It's a cigar that rewards the smoker who pays attention, offering subtle shifts in flavor that might be missed by those chasing intensity. In a world of loud, this is a quiet masterpiece—one that doesn't need to shout to be heard.