Three years ago, Altadis U.S.A. commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Trinidad brand by debuting the first release in a new three-vitola line named the Espiritu Series. According to the company, each of the three cigars is inspired by a different country. The first edition, released in 2019, was named Espiritu No.1, a Nicaraguan puro packaged in boxes adorned with bright and colorful art inspired by Havana, Cuba in the 1960s.

In 2020, Altadis U.S.A. released the second cigar in the series, the Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 2. In terms of blend, the Espiritu Series No. 2 features a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper covering a Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos grown in both Brazil and Nicaragua. Inspired by the country of Brazil, each of the five sizes is packaged in boxes of 20 that began shipping to retailers in February 2021.

“With Trinidad Espiritu Series No.1, we took you on a journey to the ‘golden years’ of the Caribbean,” said Rafael Nodal, head of product capability for Tabacalera USA, in a press release at the time. “With Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 2 we are taking you to the heart and soul of the exotic, flavorful country of Brazil.”

The Espiritu Series No. 2 debuted in five different vitolas:

  • Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 2 Robusto (5 x 50)
  • Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 2 Toro (6 x 54)
  • Trinidad Espiritu Seires No. 2 Magnum (6 x 60)
  • Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 2 Belicoso (6 1/8 x 52)
  • Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 2 Fundador (7 1/2 x 40)

Here is what I wrote in my original review back in April 2021:

Earthy and woody with a distinct charred meat flavor thrown in for good measure, the Trinidad Espíritu Series No. 2 Toro is one of those blends that is enjoyable enough, but unfortunately, the lack of any significant sweetness—either on the palate or the retrohale—really holds the entire profile back. In addition, there is a metallic bitterness that shows up on the finish every once in a while, a note that only gets more pronounced if I puffed too hard or too fast. Construction was decent but the original Espíritu blend is the best in the small series so far.

Altadis U.S.A. has not yet released the Espiritu Series No. 3, though the company indicated in 2019 the plan was to do a three-part series.

  • Cigar Reviewed: Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 2 Toro
  • Country of Origin: Nicaragua
  • Factory: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A.
  • Wrapper: Brazil (Arapiraca)
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Brazil & Nicaragua
  • Length: 6 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 54
  • Vitola: Toro Extra
  • MSRP: $10.15 (Box of 20, $203)
  • Release Date: February 2021
  • Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
  • Number of Cigars Smoked For Redux: 1

The dark and pale espresso brown wrapper on this Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 2 Toro is virtually identical to what I remember covered the original cigars, although there does seem to be a bit less oil present. The wrapper is parchment rough to the touch, and while there is plenty of give when it is squeezed, it is not close to spongy enough to make me think there will be any issues. Aromas of sweet earth and barnyard greet me as I remove the cigar from the cellophane, followed by saltine crackers, cinnamon and creamy leather. Much stronger notes emanate from the foot, a list that includes dark chocolate, creamy oak, chalk, grass, generic nuts and generic sweetness. After a straight cut the cold draw brings flavors of earth, almonds, sweet hay, cocoa nibs, leather, nutmeg, espresso beans and milk chocolate sweetness.

Although black pepper and spice are immediately obvious in the first few puffs—on the retrohale and on my tongue respectively—both are noticeably more restrained compared to the cigars from the first review. Main flavors of creamy oak and dark chocolate emerge fairly quickly, followed by secondary notes of hay, earth, roasted coffee beans and cinnamon; some spice is also noticeable on my tongue throughout the first half. The retrohale includes copious amounts of both black pepper and raisin sweetness, with the pepper topping the sweetness for now. Flavor is at a solid medium while both the body and strength are at a point just under medium but increasing. Construction-wise, the burn, draw and smoke production are all problem-free through the first half.

While the strength increases slightly during the second half of the Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 2 Toro—it finally tops out a point just over medium—the rest of the profile seems to be a virtual carbon copy of the preceding half. Dark chocolate and oak flavors easily continue to top the rest of the notes—including cinnamon, hay, gritty earth, leather and espresso beans—while the spice on my tongue is still very much present. Black pepper and raisin sweetness continue to dominate the retrohale, with both flavors running neck to neck when I put the nub down with less than an inch remaining. Flavor ends at just over medium while the body hits medium-plus by the end of the cigar. Finally, the burn remains trouble-free, while both the smoke production and draw continue to give me no issues whatsoever.

 

88 Overall Score

After a year and a half of aging, the Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 2 Toro is a noticeably better cigar. The metallic bitterness I noted from the first review is nowhere to be found and there is quite a bit more sweetness in the profile—specifically, a rich raisin flavor—that does a decent job balancing out the black pepper and spice that is still very much present. In addition, every aspect of the construction worked in harmony with each other, and the highlight was a razor-sharp burn line that never showed signs of becoming an issue. While the Espiritu Series No. 2 Toro still does not feature the most complex of profiles, it seems to have enough left in the tank to make me think it will continue to improve with more aging.

Original Review (April 2021)
86
Redux Score (November 2022)
88
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Brooks Whittington

I have been smoking cigars for over eight years. A documentary wedding photographer by trade, I spent seven years as a photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star Telegram. I started the cigar blog SmokingStogie in 2008 after realizing that there was a need for a cigar blog with better photographs and more in-depth information about each release. SmokingStogie quickly became one of the more influential cigar blogs on the internet, known for reviewing preproduction, prerelease, rare, extremely hard-to-find and expensive cigars. I am a co-founder of halfwheel and now serve as an editor for halfwheel.