Casdagli Basilica A Toro

Product Summary

The Casdagli Basilica A Toro, with its classic 6 x 52 Toro silhouette, represents the Casdagli family's ultimate tribute to the Armenian cigar tradition. The deep brown Dominican Cotui wrapper is smooth and lustrous, paired with an 11-year-old Bonao binder and top-quality fillers such as Pennsylvania Broadleaf and Peruvian Pelo de Oro. Its structure is rigorous and layered, making it the most complex and balanced cigar in the Basilica series.

Main Specifications

• Dimensions: 6 × 52 (Toro)

• Cotui, Dominican Republic

• Citronella binding: Bonao, Dominican Republic (11 years old)

• Tomato core: Pennsylvania Broadleaf, Peru Pelo de Oro, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Peru

Flavor characteristics

The opening section features a gentle blend of vanilla, cream, and dark chocolate; the middle section gradually unfolds with rich layers of almond, milk chocolate, and oak; and the closing section concludes with a rich dark chocolate, oak, and delicate mineral notes, resulting in a smooth overall transition and a lingering aftertaste.

Origin and wrapper information

Crafted by Jeremy Casdagli and Hendrik Kelner Jr. at the Kelner Boutique Factory in the Dominican Republic, all tobacco leaves undergo a rigorous secondary fermentation process (mejorado process, 3–6 months). The wrapper is selected from the top-grade Cotui harvest from the Kelner family plantation, ensuring optimal oil content and maturity. The binder uses 11-year-aged Bonao leaves, and the filler incorporates rare Pelo de Oro and other high-grade fillers, resulting in impeccable structure and combustion performance.

Kelner Family Tips

The Kelner family is a century-old legend in the Dominican cigar industry: engaged in tobacco cultivation and trade since the 1920s. The second generation, Henke Kelner Sr., long led Davidoff production and is known as the "Father of Dominican Tobacco." Currently, the third generation, Hendrik Kelner Jr., manages the Kelner Boutique Factory, renowned for its extremely rigorous standards in leaf selection, aging, and blending. Collaborating with top brands such as Casdagli, they ensure that each cigar achieves an artistic balance and complexity.

Reasons for recommendation

Cigar Aficionado scored 95 points in 2022, ranking 5th in the Top 25 that year. The review stated, "This is the closest non-Cuban cigar to the classic Cuban style in recent years, with an impressive complexity and balance." Halfwheel also gave it high praise: "A straight burn, solid ash, and flavors unfolding layer by layer like a precise symphony." Basilica A Toro is one of Casdagli's top regular line products, with strictly controlled production, suitable for seasoned connoisseurs who seek the ultimate structure and depth of flavor.