Ferio Tego Summa Corona Gorda

Earlier this year, Ferio Tego celebrated a milestone of sorts. In a relatively rare manner, the company—which has been selling cigars for more than two years now—released its first, all-new regular production line. Up until this point, the company’s portfolio has been largely made up of blends that were created for Nat Sherman, which Ferio Tego acquired as part of its launch, or various limited editions.

Summa, the company’s new line, is supposed to be a culmination of all of this. It is also a regular production offering.

“The word summa means a ‘comprehensive work,’ a ‘summary or a synthesis of the body of work’ thus far. Ferio Tego Summa is a blend that embodies the diversity and complexity of the Ferio Tego portfolio,” said Michael Herklots, co-founder of Ferio Tego, in a press release when the cigar was announced. “The Summa blend highlights the incredible trifecta of body, flavor and intensity…and maximizes those levels with wonderful balance.”

That blend is created at the Quesada family’s Tabacos de Exportación factory in the Dominican Republic. It uses an Ecuadorian corojo wrapper over an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.

The line launched with four vitolas.

• Ferio Tego Summa Corona Gorda (5 3/4 x 46) — $18 (Box of 10, $180)
• Ferio Tego Summa Robusto (5 x 50) — $19 (Box of 10, $190)
• Ferio Tego Summa Torpedo (6 1/4 x 52) — $20 (Box of 10, $200)
• Ferio Tego Summa Gordo (6 x 60) — $21 (Box of 10, $210)

• Cigar Reviewed: Ferio Tego Summa Corona Gorda
• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: Tabacos de Exportación
• Wrapper: Ecuador (Corojo)
• Binder: Ecuador (Sumatra)
• Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
• Length: 5 3/4 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Vitola: Corona Gorda
• MSRP: $18 (Box of 10, $180)
• Release Date: June 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

The first thing I notice about the Ferio Tego Summa is the band. Most of the products in the company’s portfolio are Nat Sherman legacy products and use either Timeless or Metropolitan bands. The exceptions to this have been the annual limited production releases—Elegancia and Generoso—and now Summa, which wears the Ferio Tego crest as its most prominent feature. As for the brown cylinder itself, it’s fairly standard with a below-average number of veins, though ones that are rather prominent. The most notable aspect is undoubtedly the oiliness; as it is quite oily. I find the wrappers to be medium-full with acidity or cocoa as the strongest flavor, though one cigar smells mostly just like generic tobacco. Smelling the foot reveals where the chocolate is coming from: it’s strong with sweet cocoa over raisins and some sawdust and acidity at the end. Cold draws add oatmeal and leather to the mix, though each cigar has a unique third flavor. On one cigar, it’s fruity, another is more black tea, and the final cigar has an artificial pumpkin. Distant secondary notes include sharpness, sugar cookies and breads.

While the pre-light inspection was rather sweet, the first puffs of the Ferio Tego Summa Corona Gorda aren’t that sweet. Sweet cedar, nuttiness and acorn lead to a generally dry profile. Burnt popcorn, macadamia nuts and a touch of whole milk-like creaminess round out the profile and help to provide some contrast. While the profile is undoubtedly dry, it’s also quite crisp. For most of the first third, oak and the whole milk-like creaminess battle for the top spot in the mouth. Underneath, there’s some mild harshness, wood, raisins and some bread flavors. The finish sees the nuttiness and creaminess outlast the other flavors, though there are some puffs that are decidedly sharper. Retrohales have a slightly sweet French bread flavor—very defined and enjoyable—join the creaminess, though it’s a one-two punch until the finish. Dry herbs, acidity and faint hints of cocoa hit various parts of my palate, helping to provide context. Flavor is medium-full, body is medium-plus and strength is medium. The flavors are developed and the smoke itself has a velvety texture, perhaps the single best part of the first third. For as good as all that is, one cigar is struggling to stay lit and requires multiple touch-ups from the lighter to make it through the first third.

Unfortunately, all three cigars struggle to stay lit in the middle portion. In the most problematic case, the cigar just goes out. With the other two cigars, multiple touch-ups and extra attention are required to help keep the cigar burning. While the combustion issues are certainly not helping the flavor profile, the Ferio Tego Summa Corona Gorda is still quite good. Cashews and white bread battle it out for the first part of the second third, though I can taste some dry pretzel flavors emerging. If I let the smoke linger in my mouth, I can pick up some added sharpness, though it never gets harsh. What’s odd is that the pretzel flavor isn’t all that salty, but there’s an isolated salty flavor that is building as the final third nears. It seems to coincide with a return of the nuttiness, which combined seem to drown out the great French bread flavor. The finish sees that pretzel flavor and saltiness get stronger, though creaminess remains. As the final third nears, I find a dry herbal flavor emerging underneath the salty and nutty combination. Retrohales have the pretzel flavor joined by leather, meatiness, creaminess and bits of both unsweet floral flavors and white pepper. Oddly, they finish much more similar to the mouth flavor: nuttiness leading meatiness, leather, popcorn and touches of saltiness and toastiness. Flavor is full, body is medium-full and strength is medium-plus.

The final third of the Ferio Tego Summa Corona Gorda isn’t as consistent as the previous two thirds. It’s not a bad thing, but the cigar seems to change every five or so minutes. Nuttiness, French bread, saltiness, pretzel and burnt flavors all lead the profile at various points. Secondary notes include creaminess, herbal flavors, white pepper as well as the aforementioned flavors. The finish is a similar story, though I find some more unique flavors like fall leaves and peppermint. Retrohales have peanuts, leather and red pepper. Underneath can be dry hay or wheat beer flavors, though neither is not consistent in every puff. The finish tends to add a bit of kick—white pepper, red pepper, and green pepper all make appearances—though I also find a touch of honey sweetness. Predictably, touch-ups are needed on each cigar to help with combustion issues. Like before, it’s a matter of staying lit, as the burn line is remarkably even.

Final Notes

• These bands have a matte look to them, which could be what Ferio Tego wanted. It may also be that it’s what Ferio Tego could get. My understanding is that in order to get the metallic gold, the bands must be printed outside the U.S. due to restrictions.
• While combustion was an issue, the burn line was remarkably even. That said, each cigar required at least four touch-ups to avoid going out.
• I would recommend keeping your cutter handy and to consider making a second cut. I found that a slightly more aggressive cut reduced the smoke production issues, though it didn’t totally alleviate them.
• Ferio Tego is distributed by Davidoff of Geneva USA. While Ferio Tego does not advertise on halfwheel, Davidoff does.
• Cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time ranged from one hour and 45 minutes to nearly two and a half hours. That large variance is due to the combustion issues, though flavor-wise, this cigar certainly wants to be smoked slower and cooler than the burn issues will allow.
• Site sponsors Famous Cigar Shop and JR Cigar carry the Ferio Tego Summa Corona Gorda.