The Royal Jamaica Gold Toro starts as a great feeling masculine cigar that deserves a place in your hand.  Once you light it up, you may not be so happy.

Altadis is short and sweet when describing this cigar on their website as "Gold at less than $10.00 per ounce...Royal Jamaica Gold. With its exquisite reddish wrapper and rich flavor, it just might set a new gold standard for cigars. Beautifully packaged and available in six sizes."

What starts as a great looking smoke with solid construction takes a unfortunate turn downhill once it hits your lips.  There is an

undeniable sour taste that is able to soil your palate in the first quarter inch of the cigar.  You can chalk it up to youth, or this may just be the little something extra that Altadis claims is in the Royal Jamaica Gold line.  Hot on the heels of a 91 rating in Cigar Insider, we can't offer up the same accolades.

Great looks and a very solid feel are easily evident.  The Toro comes in a gold foil wrapper over 4/5 of the cigar.  While this wrapper adds to the looks of the cigar, it sure isn’t needed with the wrapper speaking for itself. All of our reviewers stressed the expectations this cigar builds before you light it.  Thick, good looking and sturdy, you expect a lot.

"A muscular cigar with veins and girth.  Maybe a bit over-dressed, but not hiding anything."

"This thing feels like a baseball bat in my hand.  You could use this as a weapon!"

There are a plethora of strong cigars on the market now, and many of them pull it off without being overpowering.  The Royal Jamaica Gold has potential, but the flavor needs to be tuned dramatically.  Our reviewers mentioned wanting to like this cigar but that initial shot of flavor sent most backing away from a group hug.

There’s a good chance this cigar can improve with age, but for now it rides in as average.  We would still recommend giving the Royal Jamaica Gold line a try, as the other cigars may not follow the same path as the larger ring gauged Toro.

Vital Statistics:
Size: 6 x 52
Shape: Toro
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder:  Nicaragua
Filler: Jamaican, Honduran, Nicaragua
Est. Cost: $5.50