The bond between pets and their owners is sometimes deeper than family. The Warped Sarto pays tribute to Warped owner, Kyle Gellis’ dog Sarto, a Cane Corso that crossed over the rainbow bridge.
The Warped Sarto which is said to be the strongest by the company to date is available in three sizes; Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 52) and Double Corona (7 x 54) with an MSRP of $14-$16 per cigar . It is produced at Nicaragua American Cigars S.A. (NACSA), the same factory that makes cigars for brands like Patina, Crowned Heads and of course Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust.
Cigar Review: Warped Sarto
Size: 5 x 50
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua (Esteli)
Fillers: Nicaragua (Esteli, Jalapa & Ometepe)
Factory: NACSA
Release Date: November 2024
Box Count: 24
The Cigar: Featuring a dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that has a nice amount of oils present, the Warped Sarto is a beautiful looking cigar. The band which features colors of slate blue, black and silver embossing has an image of the beloved pet. Perfectly rolled this virtual vein wrapper is begging to be smoked with a perfect weight, no voids of tobacco and a well packed foot.
The Taste: As the cigar sits between my lips with the cap cut the aroma wafts upward from the cigar revealing notes of fudge and earth while the foot serves up a rich tobacco aroma. After we toast and light the cigar there is a subtle caramel sweetness as we slide into the first third.
As we smoke the first third there is a nice amount of spices that I would classify as Asian in nature with fennel, lemongrass, cardamom and ginger giving it a very distinct flavor profile. The finish sees notes of dark chocolate that linger to perfection. The real star of the experience is the aroma which rises effortlessly with hints of cedar and fig.
As we smoke the second third I failed to mention the retrohale of the first third which continues into the second third revealing sesame seeds and a hint of ginger. As far as the palate goes the ginger begins to make an appearance where it is joined by dark chocolate, leather and a hint of fig which is more of an afterthought.
The final third sees leather notes develop with hints of barley, ginger and sesame seeds with the latter lingering on the finish. The aroma of the cigar still stands out as we get to the final inch and I can’t recall a cigar where I was so fixated on the aroma. When we finally put the cigar down there is a subtle dark chocolate and an abundance of spice.
Conclusion: The cigar is billed as the strongest Warped cigar to date and while that may be true if you consider 1-3 being mild, 4-6 being medium, 7+ being full, I would call this a solid 7. The aroma of the cigar really stands out, so I am curious to try the pipe tobacco of the same name which is made by Cornell & Diehl.
Maybe about 8-9 years ago, but don’t hold me to it, Warped was developing a cult following with brands like Maestro del Tiempo, Flor del Valle, La Colmena and he took part in the development of Guardians of the Farm with Aganorsa Leaf. Then it seems like in a period of two years the bottom fell out.
In the last year or two it feels like they have begun to claw their way back with release like Isla del Cocodrilo and now Sarto. My interest has been piqued and I am slowly returning the brands. The Sarto is another really good cigar from Warped and this company is once again worth keeping an eye on.
Score: 93
Price: $14.00 (Before any local or state taxes)
Site sponsor Small Batch Cigar has Warped Sarto in stock at the time of this review. If you use the coupon code BARRELBURNER you can save 15% (until December 31st, 10% after that date).
Editor’s Note: an earlier version stated that Warped sold direct to consumer. This was not the case and an error on our part. We apologize for the confusion.
