Dominican Republic / Mild-Medium
XO
Patoro
By Benjamin Charles Brown
A dusty-wrapper Dominican XO that opens musty and mild with savory red pepper, cinnamon, and cedar before a final third of cream, butter, and almond. Uneven burn and low smoke density suggest drier conditioning, but the late almond-butter character hints at real aging potential.
In the Cigar Database
Tasting progression
First third
First lit draws were mild but a little musty, unsurprising given the dusty wrapper look. Once that faded, a smooth, mild, savory profile emerged with red pepper, cinnamon, and woody cedar. Very gentle spice on the retrohale. Earth and espresso began developing as intensity built gently. Burn line started very uneven but stabilized after correction.
Second third
Largely a continuation of the first third. Nothing particularly notable beyond a slight build in flavour intensity.
Final third
Became more interesting. Pepper largely faded with the introduction of creaminess, butter, and almond. Woodiness continued and the flavours integrated well. A delicious bready, fermented pungency emerged that would have been welcome throughout the whole cigar.
Final Verdict
An interesting smoke with potential given the right condition and ageing. No unpleasant flavours, and intensity never became excessive in the final third. In current condition there is nothing that makes it truly memorable or begs a repeat, which ought to be the case at this price point and level of aged leaf. If age can integrate the unique almond-butter taste of the final third into the whole cigar, it could become an incredible smoke.