Knuckle Sandwich Chef's Special 2024 Toro Oval

The Knuckle Sandwich Chef’s Special 2024 Toro Oval opens with a medium-full body, delivering a vibrant mix of sweet cedar, dark chocolate, and roasted almond over a base of leather, earthy spice, and espresso roast. The retrohale adds black pepper, cinnamon, and a touch of dried fig, offering warmth and a subtle sweetness that enhances the cigar’s depth. By the second third, the flavors broaden into molasses, toasted walnut, and bittersweet cocoa, while the pepper mellows into a smooth, lingering undertone. A gentle maple note emerges, tying the cedar, cocoa, and spice into a harmonious mid-palate. In the final third, the profile deepens into espresso crema, charred oak, clove, and smoky earth, finishing long, bold, and balanced with a resonant sweet-spice finish.

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The Toro Oval vitola is meticulously rolled with a dark, oily Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and a blend of Nicaraguan fillers, displaying seamless construction, a precise oval press, and a firm yet responsive pack. Cold draw reveals cedar, cocoa husk, and a touch of raisin. Upon lighting, the draw is perfect—slight resistance producing dense, velvety smoke with excellent aroma. The burn line stays sharp and even, and the ash forms dense, medium-gray stacks that hold well between taps. Combustion is steady and cool, allowing the complexity to build gradually with each draw.

Pair with GlenDronach 15 Revival or Flor de Caña 18 Year Rum; both complement the cigar’s cocoa, spice, and cedar while enhancing its natural sweetness.

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Aging potential is strong: 5–8 years will integrate the cocoa, cedar, and spice into a more seamless, velvety profile while refining the pepper into a polished undertone.

A refined, full-flavored special edition that delivers the boldness and craftsmanship worthy of the Chef’s Special name.