I have seen quite a few cigars recently appear in catalogs that were at one time only available in Europe.  While this may make many cigar smokers shrug and reach for their usual US blends, I have taken note to get my hands on a few.  So, to my delight, Jordan at The Wharf, handed me a bag of samples - all of them originally European market selections from Compania Hondurena de Tabacos.  Having a background in art, I opted to try the one that bears the name of one better of the surrealism painters, Joan Miro.  Interesting fact - Joan Miro would starve himself to the point of hallucination and then start painting.  Look at the 1926 painting, Person Throwing a Stone at a Bird for an example.  Now, I don't know for sure if this cigar is named for Joan Miro, but if it is, I am impressed.  Let's see how those Europeans are making out with this brand, shall we?

Construction: The Miro is a pretty straight forward cigar.  The red tinged milk chocolate colored wrapper is nearly veinless.  I did note a very soft head to the cigar - very spongy between the teeth.  Overall a nice looking cigar.

Pre-light Aroma and Draw: Out of the cellophane the Miro gives some incredibly nice sweet tobacco aromas.  From the foot, I pick up a nice chocolate note that makes me excited to light it up.

Light and Burn: The Miro started off a bit rough.  I had to torch the edges to get it to burn even at the start but after that it performed perfectly.  The smoke it gives is copious and aromatic too.

Tasting: Starting off the Miro is very mild with those terrific notes of wood and nuts that Honduran tobacco typically brings to the table.  The first third is nice and smooth with notes of cedar, roasted nuts, and a slight hint of leather.  I found a few unusual notes as well - specifically raisins, some creamy mild coffee, and a touch of black pepper. 

The second third punches up the pepper a couple of notches.  The core of the flavors switches to a nice mild earthiness too.  I get a few more dried fruit notes along the way too but that Honduran nuttiness really shines through.

The final third drops the pepper and increases the leather note a bit with a touch of saltiness.  I could smoke these every day and be a happy guy.  There are some additional caramel and toffee notes in there as well.  What a terrific cigar!

Value: The toro size will run you around $7 and change online.  Overall a terrific price for a terrific cigar.

Final Thoughts: I am impressed.  What a delicious surprise this cigar turned out to be.  It was smooth and tasty and simply excellent.  That being said, I can't wait to try the other European blends I have sitting in the humidor.  I highly recommend this wonderful cigar.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaraguan, Honduras

Strength: Medium

Size: 6 x 52