Mexico, Casa 1910, and making time
September changes the pace. The long light evenings soften, routines come back, and it becomes easier to sit down properly: a good drink, a long conversation, and a cigar you chose rather than grabbed.
This month we are looking at Mexico, its tobacco and its craft. We will do that through two Casa 1910 cigars. The Teniente Ángela Toro is our September House Selection. The Cuchillo Parado Robusto is the centrepiece of our Cigar & Tequila Tasting Evening later this month.
Also this issue: new samplers in the humidor, a cutter you wear rather than pocket, a few things worth knowing, and one evening on the terrace.
At the counter: August at Toro Puro
We brought in a new range of samplers, built around the time people actually have. A short smoke on a weeknight is a different proposition from an unhurried Saturday evening, and the selections reflect that.
The range includes regional samplers from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. We also added strength-led selections, a full-strength sampler, and gift sets.
Choosing a cigar should feel like an invitation rather than a test. A sampler lets you explore a region or compare styles without committing to a box, and it is a straightforward way to work out what you like. You may find you prefer the creamier character of Dominican tobacco, the spice of Nicaragua, the warmth of Honduras, or the tang of Cuba.
Given September's Mexican focus, the Casa 1910 Sampler is the one to look at. It brings together different expressions from a brand shaped by Mexico's revolutionary history, so you can compare formats, blends and personalities across the range rather than judging it on a single cigar.
If you have been meaning to try something beyond your usual, this is a good time to start. Pick a sampler that fits the time you have, light one without worrying about getting it right, and pay attention to what you enjoy.
Explore Toro Puro samplers
Discover the Casa 1910 Sampler
August also brought the announcement of our Cigar & Tequila Tasting Evening at The Old Custom House in Penarth. That is the sort of occasion we want to run more of: a table, a few hours, and learning by tasting.
For September, the focus moves to what is behind the cigars in the humidor. Mexico is where to begin.
Region of the month: Mexico
Mexico is not usually the first country named in a conversation about premium cigars, but anyone who works with tobacco knows it well.
The San Andrés Valley in Veracruz is one of the country's main growing areas. The dark soil and warm climate produce leaves with depth, texture and an earthy character. Mexican tobacco brings personality to a blend: earth, cocoa, pepper, a natural sweetness, and a certain weight on the palate.
It usually appears as a binder or wrapper, where its strength gives a cigar structure. It can also carry a blend on its own. Casa 1910's Cuchillo Parado Robusto is made entirely from Mexican tobacco grown in the San Andrés Valley.
There is a cultural side too. Good cigar evenings involve hospitality, food, history and conversation, which is territory Mexico knows well. A cigar with tequila, a decent plate of food, and a table of people makes obvious sense.
House Selection: Casa 1910 Teniente Ángela Toro
Casa 1910 builds its brand around the people and history of the Mexican Revolution. Teniente Ángela is named after Ángela Jiménez, a revolutionary soldier whose life became part of the era's story. The cigar has a character to it before you have even lit it.
It comes in a Toro format, a generous shape that gives the blend room to develop slowly. It is made in the Dominican Republic with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos, with Mexican influence in the construction. The result is medium-bodied and composed rather than heavy.
Expect earth, wood, cocoa, nuts and black pepper. The opening has a natural spice to it, and the middle settles into warmer, rounder notes. The same cigar will show you different things depending on the time of day, what you are drinking, and who you are with.
This one suits the person who enjoys the story as much as the tasting note. It is not chasing intensity. It is about balance and texture.
The story behind Teniente Ángela
Ángela Jiménez was one of the women connected with the Mexican Revolution. Born in Oaxaca, she took the name "Ángel" and dressed as a man, which let her move through a world that largely kept women out of formal military roles.
Accounts describe her as a soldier, flag bearer, spy, explosives expert and, at times, a cook for fellow revolutionaries. She reached the rank of lieutenant, which is where the cigar's name comes from.
The Revolution was shaped by women who fought, carried information, organised and kept others going, not only by the names that fill the history books. Casa 1910's Teniente Ángela Toro is a tribute to that.
Object of the month: Les Fines Lames Le Tag T135 Black
An accessory should earn its place: work properly, feel right in the hand, and make the small rituals more enjoyable.
The Le Tag T135 Black takes its shape from a military dog tag, and it is designed to be worn on a chain around the neck rather than lost at the bottom of a pocket. That is the point of it. The cutter is there when you want it, and the plain black finish keeps it understated.
It is made in France from 420C stainless steel, is 3 mm thick, and uses a double-blade mechanism for a clean cut. It handles cigars up to a 100 ring gauge, so it works across most formats.
The cut itself matters. Too deep and the wrapper can split; too shallow and the draw tightens. A good cutter simply gives the cigar a fair start.
From the humidor
What does Toro Puro mean?
Two cigar words, and we did pick them partly because they sound good together. Toro is Spanish for bull, and in cigar language it is one of the most popular formats: generous, balanced, and built to develop slowly. Puro means pure, and describes a cigar made entirely from tobacco grown in one country.
Together, they say what we are after: choose with confidence, enjoy with intention, and give the moment the time it deserves.
A few things worth knowing
A cigar has a head and a foot. The head is the end you cut, the foot is the end you light. Obvious once you know it, and it makes buying and talking about cigars much easier.
Ring gauge is not measured in millimetres. It gives the diameter in sixty-fourths of an inch, so a 52 ring gauge cigar is 52/64 of an inch across. An old-fashioned system that cigar smokers still use everywhere.
Not every cigar is straight. Most are parejos: straight-sided with a rounded cap. Figurados are shaped more dramatically, with tapered heads, pointed ends or a fuller middle, and the shape affects both the draw and the way the cigar develops.
The wrapper is the outer leaf, the first thing you see, and it does a lot of the work on aroma, appearance and flavour.
A slower smoke is usually a better smoke. Puffing quickly overheats the tobacco and the flavours turn harsh. A relaxed rhythm keeps the cigar cooler and gives the blend time to show itself.
Ash is not a scorecard. A long ash looks impressive but says little. Construction, draw and whether you are enjoying it matter more than how long the ash holds on.
The best pairing is the one you enjoy. The guidelines are useful, richer cigars with bolder spirits, creamier cigars with softer drinks, but they are not rules. Try a pairing, notice what changes, and trust your own palate.
Looking ahead
Cigar & Tequila Tasting Evening
On Thursday 24 September, we are at the El Puerto Terrace at The Old Custom House, Penarth Marina, for an evening of cigars, tequila and Mexican-inspired food.
There is a Paloma on arrival, then a guided tasting of the Casa 1910 Cuchillo Parado Robusto: medium strength, all Mexican, from the San Andrés Valley, with plenty going on as it burns down.
Three Don Julio tequilas (Reposado, Añejo and Don Julio 1942) come in at different points during the cigar. The interesting part is watching the pairing shift as you go, with spice, sweetness, wood and cream moving in and out of focus.
Mexican-inspired canapés and small dishes are served throughout.
There are 15 places.
Thursday 24 September 2026
Arrival from 6.30pm, guided tasting begins at 7pm
El Puerto Terrace, The Old Custom House, Penarth Marina
£49 per person
This event is for guests aged 18 and over, and is intended for existing adult cigar smokers.
Save the date: 8 October
We have pencilled in Thursday 8 October for our biggest event yet. Details are still being finalised, but put it in the diary now. A larger gathering, good cigars and interesting pours.
More soon. Until then, make time for a good cigar and a good conversation.
Kourosh
Toro Puro
