Giusto Manetti Battiloro, a renowned gold-leaf producer, has created 24K Gold Torpedo cigars with California-based humidor maker Daniel Marshall, priced at $200.
The cigar is a Nicaraguan puro with full-bodied Jalapa filler blend, a milder Estelí binder, a rich Cuban-seed wrapper aged five years and topped with a 24K gold leaf wrapper. The blog the Rich Times points out that each Torpedo is “hand rolled in Nicaragua under the supervision of Manuel Quesada, using tobaccos grown by Nestor Plasencia.”
Tasting notes: rich flavors exude coffee-cinnamon combination with a touch of citrus in the finish.
While it might sound like a tasty Mexican coffee especially to a non-connoisseur, the Robb Report’s Richard Hacker explains “tobacco breathes, gold does not… the burn rate of this otherwise easy-drawing cigar is impeded, requiring numerous relightings or constant puffing, which makes the tobacco smoke hotter.”
Others claim the gold enhances the flavors while The Rich Times notes, the “best part of smoking this gold cigar is the fine golden ash that it leaves behind.”
If you want such decadence for a few puffs or perhaps revive ceremonial cigar gifting when a baby is born, a limited signed burlwood travel humidor is also available for USD 1000 and contains five cigars – find here.
Since its Passover, it should be mentioned that gold-wrapped Kosher cigars are also available by Madelaine. However there are a few big differences, each cigar is filled with solid milk chocolate and a box of 24 will only set you back $14.33 or $0.60 a cigar at Metro Candy in NYC / online.