Warped Isla del Cocodrilo Toro

Warped Isla del Cocodrilo Toro is a boutique release inspired by Cuba’s nickname, “Isla del Cocodrilo,” referencing the island’s crocodile-like shape and its deep cigar heritage. Produced at Tabacalera La Isla in the Dominican Republic, this Toro features an Ecuadorian Habano Deflorada wrapper over a dual binder of Ecuadorian Habano 2000 and Brazilian Arapiraca, filled with select Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos.

The cigar presents a rich, slightly oily Habano wrapper with fine veins and a firm, well-pressed feel. The profile opens with toasted cedar, earth, and warm spice, followed by notes of black pepper, leather, and toasted tobacco. As the smoke develops, subtle sweetness emerges with hints of cream, raisin, and vanilla, layered over a woody, nutty core. The finish is medium-long and refined, with lingering spice and earth. Pair with The Balvenie 14-Year Caribbean Cask for a complementary balance of tropical sweetness and oak-driven depth.

Though tobacco is indigenous to Hispaniola, the tobacco industry in the Dominican Republic existed in the shadow of Cuba’s dominance through the 1960s. When the exodus of Cuban cigar makers began in the wake of the revolution, many decided the Dominican Republic would be ideal for the resumption of their livelihoods. Unrest in Nicaragua in the 1980s fueled the Dominican cigar industry further. The country now makes more than half of the premium cigars imported into the U.S.

The Cibao Valley and the nearby city of Santiago are the center of cigar production in the Dominican Republic. Three main varieties are grown here: the mild and native Olor Dominicano; the intense Piloto Cubano, brought from the Vuelta Abajo of Cuba; and San Vicente, a milder and more acidic Piloto hybrid. Dominican puros were once unheard of as it was widely thought impossible to grow quality wrapper leaf on the island, but new growing techniques are now allowing some exceptional puros to be produced.