Toscano little cigars are cult cigars in Italy and many other countries
Toscano little cigars are made from Kentucky pipe tobacco, which doesn’t actually make it a cigar. The Kentucky, which comes primarily from Italy, is watered before production and then dried over a charcoal fire, which is why the Toscano little cigars contain a lot of nicotine. The cover of the cigar is subjected to a natural fermentation separately from the insert. The Toscano deliberately does not use a binder, since the cover, which mostly comes from the USA, is firm enough to hold the insert. A taste-neutral mixture of corn starch is used as an adhesive for the Toscano. The production takes place very mechanically, whereby handmade variants such as the “originals” or the “Il Moro” are also produced. The shape of Toscano little cigars resembles the Caribbean version of the “Perfecto” due to its elliptical appearance. The length of the cigar is 150 to 160 mm with the exception of the “Il Moro”, which is 23 cm long.
Italian passion in the taste of Toscano little cigars
The taste of Toscano little cigars can easily be described as very spicy. The nicotine content is very high, which is why lovers of intense taste will get their money’s worth. In addition to the conventional variants, there are flavored specimens that combine Italian cuisine with the taste of tobacco. These include, for example, the tastes of grappa, espresso (caffé), bitter chocolate (fondente), vanilla (vaniglia) and anise (anice). The cigar is traditionally enjoyed in two parts. For this purpose, the whole cigar is cut or broken in the middle, so that the enjoyment can take place in two stages. Thanks to the Kentucky tobacco, which is no longer hygroscopic, the cigar can be stored dry and retains its typical taste even at room temperature after years.
A cigar with character
Over the years, some myths and peculiarities have developed around the cigar, whereby the fact of cutting up has already been presented here. Another narrative reports that the cigar is so strong that three men are needed to smoke. One person who smokes and two others who hold the smoker. In Italy, the Toscano little cigars have a very high cult status that almost comes close to the importance of grappa and espresso.