Today, we review the Micallef Red in the Toro size. The Red is the third installment in the Micallef Color Series. In 2023, Micallef introduced the Color Series with the Micallef Black. While Micallef Cigars has been around since 2017, the Color Series represents an essential point in the evolution of Micallef as a cigar manufacturer. For the past few years, Micallef has strategically invested in procuring higher-grade tobaccos and efficiently escalating production at its factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. As a result, the Color Series has been built to deliver higher-quality premium releases at an aggressive price point. Like the other installments, the Red falls into this category and is priced in the $7.00 to $8.00 range.

The following are the four installments of the Micallef Color Series as of this cigar assessment:

• Micallef Black
• Micallef Blue
• Micallef Red
• Micallef Purple

Each of the installments has a different profile. Micallef Black was meant to fill a void in the portfolio with a more robust, fuller-bodied offering. The Micallef Blue is more in the medium range and can appeal to a broader audience. As for Micallef Red, it is positioned as a cigar that falls between the Blue and the Black in terms of its strength and body profile. As we dive into the Red Toro, we will look at that closer.

Micallef Red Toro – Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

Produced at Micallef’s Fabrica de Micallef facility in Estelí, Nicaragua, the Red features a San Andres wrapper over a Pennsylvania Broadleaf grown-in-Nicaragua binder and a combination of Nicaraguan and Mexican fillers.

• Wrapper: San Andrés Habano
• Binder: Nicaraguan Grown Pennsylvania Broadleaf
• Filler: Nicaraguan & Mexican
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Fabrica de Micallef

Vitolas Offered

As with the current other offerings in the Micallef Color Series, the Red comes in two regular production formats – Robusto and Toro. Each size comes in 25-count boxes.

• Robusto: 5 x 52
• Toro: 6 x 52

Appearance (*)

The San Andres wrapper of the Red Toro isn’t the darkest shade, but it is also not the lightest. I would classify this wrapper as medium to dark, with a subtle rosado tint. The surface of the wrapper displayed some mottling and a light oil sheen. Its slightly rugged texture added a charming quality to the cigar. Additionally, there were visible veins and seams on the wrapper.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw (*)

Before lighting up the Red Toro, a straight cut was used to remove the cap. After the cap was detached, it was time to move into the pre-light draw. The cold draw delivered a mix of cocoa, cedar, and cherry sweetness. Overall, this was a satisfactory pre-light draw. At this point, it was time to toast up the Red Toro and head into the smoking phase.

Tasting Notes

The Red Toro opened up with cocoa, coffee, earth, cedar, and natural tobacco notes. I get a “mocha” note on some cigars, which I describe as a fusion of coffee and chocolate, but this was not the case with the Red Toro. The cocoa notes became primary early on. The coffee, earth, cedar, and natural tobacco moved into the background. There was a layer of black pepper on the retro-hale. At about midway, black pepper surfaced on the tongue in the background.

Later, in the first third of the Red Toro, the pepper and coffee notes increased in intensity. This continued into the second third. By midway, the coffee displaced the cocoa as the primary note. The cocoa settled in the background with the pepper, earth, cedar, and natural tobacco. As the cigar moved into the second half, the pepper had another increase.

The final third saw the coffee notes still grounded in the forefront. The pepper now was the most prominent secondary note. The cocoa, cedar, earth, and natural tobacco rounded things off. This is the way the Red Toro came to a close. The resulting nub was cool in temperature and slightly soft to the touch.

Burn

The burn of the Red Toro was excellent. This cigar maintained a straight burn path and had a straight bun line without an excessive amount of touch-ups. The resulting ash was primarily silver-gray. The ash was skewed toward the firmer side. As for the burn rate and burn temperature, both maintained ideal levels.

Draw

The draw also performed excellently. This is draw that had a touch of resistance – which is a personal preference of mine. At the same time, this was a low-maintenance cigar from which to derive flavor.

Strength and Body

As mentioned above, the Micallef Red falls between the Micallef Blue and Micallef Black in boldness. Micallef Blue has a medium profile for strength and body, while Micallef Black approaches full for both attributes. The Red Toro also comes in medium to full for strength and body. There was a slight increase in the strength and body during the smoking experience, but both attributes remained medium to full.

BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)

Micallef has been consistent on the packaging for its Color Series. It’s relatively simple – the box and band match the color name. At the same time, the font is gold. In the case of the Micallef Red, there is a lot of red present. This may be my favorite packaging for the Color Series thus far. While I like the Black, Blue, and Purple, the Red stands out the best – and that’s key when seeking this out in a retailer humidor.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

REFERENCES

News: Micallef Red Launching This Month
Price: $8.00
Source: Purchased
Brand Reference: Micallef Cigars

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop

(*) Indicates this is not factored into the score or value rating