Expert: Bill Finck Jr. - 11/13/2010

Question
Bill,

While in your outlet store, I asked a clerk what the equivalent factory second was for the Travis Club Magnum and was sold a box of the Factory Seconds Toros. I was pleasantly surprised. The naturals maintain a constant flavor all the way to the end, and the maduros get a little stronger towards the end, but in a good way. They have since become my favorite cigars and I've been buying about a box of each per month.

A friend to whom I gave one expressed a liking and asked what they were, and when I told him they were your factory seconds he responded, "oh, I would never buy a second. What's the real brand?" I found the response pretentious, given that he had enjoyed it, but there it is.

I could not give him an answer, because I don't think these were originally destined to become Travis Club Magnums. They lack the hole in the cap typical of the machine rolled Magnums, seem milder than the Magnums sold through local retailers, and seem to be made with a longer filler. Your clerks do not seem to know, either, as I have since been given 3 conflicting answers by 3 different people. In addition to Travis Club Magnums, I have also been told that they are Travis Club Premium Toros, and Finck's Commerce Toros.

The flavor reminds me of many central american cigars making me think it's a Finck's Commerce, but the price seems more in line with a Travis Club Premium.

So, what were these cigars originally destined to become?


Answer
Pete,

Glad you found one of our cigars you like. Our Factory Seconds Toro's are seconds from our Travis Club Magnum cigars. I'm curious about your comment about them not having a hole in the head and some long filler though. It is possible that you got some Travis Club Premium Toro seconds in a box, although those seconds are suppose to go in our Smokers Choice brand.

Anyway, thanks for the business.
Bill