Leaf By Oscar 10th Anniversary Criollo Toro

Oscar Valladres Tobacco & Co.

• Country of Origin: Honduras
• Factory: Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co.
• Wrapper: Honduras (La Florida Jamastran)
• Binder: Honduras
• Filler: Honduras
• Length: 6 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Vitola: Toro
• MSRP: $11.50 (Box of 20, $230)
• Release Date: July 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Original Score: 91

Leaf by Oscar is one of the most easily recognizable cigars on the market, with each cigar appropriately packaged in a tobacco leaf in lieu of cellophane. A decade ago, when “Island” Jim Robinson launched the line, it was only meant to be a house brand sold at his Leaf & Bean stores. It became apparent very early on that the demand for these went far beyond just a house cigar. So, with a deft pivot, he turned it into the internationally distributed brand it is today.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the brand, the Leaf By Oscar 10th Anniversary Criollo was released in two sizes: the 6 x 52 Toro and the aptly named Sixty, a 6 x 60. The Toro lands on our list at a well-deserved number 16.

Underneath the rough outer tobacco leaf is a gorgeous Honduran criollo wrapper that, along with the Honduran binder and filler, gives this puro blend a very intriguing profile. There was a consensus among us that the profile had a great balance of sweet and savory with a multitude of flavors from both camps. Rich meaty notes combined with sweet fruit aromas grab your attention, but the downside is this profile wanes slightly, losing some of that complexity along the way. If your biggest complaint about a cigar is that the good part of the cigar isn’t as good as the great part of the cigar, you are probably smoking an impressive cigar. Luckily, this is a regular production release, meaning you’ll be able to get your hands on this blend long after the company is done celebrating its 10th anniversary. — Brian Burt.