Nat Cicco’s Anniversary Cigar

In 1965 the National Cigar Company (now Nat Cicco?) launched its “rejects” brand – low cost, low priced every day cigars. Zander-Greg purchased Nat Cicco in 2007 and has commemorated the Nat Cicco beginning by launching the Anniversario 1965 Liga No. 4, a premium cigar for smokers looking for full bodied strength. Zander-Greg gave me an Anniversario toro, 6 ¼ X 52, to review.

The toro was an elegant looking cigar, slim and dark with an attractive band. The cap was finished in a pig tail and the foot was closed to provide a stronger beginning to the cigar’s flavor. This semi-box pressed cigar uses Nicaraguan grown Habano seed binder and filler with an Ecuadorian grown Habano seed wrapper. The toro was firm and did not have a plastic wrapper – it is packed “naked”.

The toro’s flavor did come on strong with spice and nuts. There was an under taste of sweetness; later cocoa became the dominant flavor. The smoke volume and ash were acceptable however the draw had too much resistance for me and continued to worsen until I poked through the cap with a wire. Towards the end the toro became bitter and experienced some tar build up. This is a full bodied cigar that took 1 hour and 10 minutes to smoke. I found the cigar for about $8, a little high for the construction issues I experienced. I rate the Anniversario a 3 out of 5.