When someone asks you to review a cigar by the name of "Magic Toast," it's kind of hard to say no. Especially when the cigar in question has nothing but rave reviews, smells like espresso, and has all of the trappings of a top-tier breakfast cigar.

And so early one chilly morning in December, I grabbed a liter of coffee, and set to smoking, reviewing, and documenting my take on "Magic Toast" by Alec Bradley. 

 An experience that I can confidently confirm was "magical" in a surprisingly subtle way.

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Unlit Impressions

Box-pressed to perfection, and creatively banded in an appropriate manner, Magic Toast strikes a strong pose. Is it the smoothest Maduro wrapper we've ever seen, or the most evenly colored? Not by a long shot.

But where this premium cigar blend lacks in cigar wrapper aesthetics, it more than makes up for in every other department.

A welcoming nose of roasted espresso and sweet earthiness, backed by rich nuances of black pepper and oiled leather all come from the foot. Unlit pulls from the punched end of this double-binder Toro provide more of the same but in a far mellower methodology.

Definitely, a divine smelling smoke, that packs promises of breakfast cigar bliss once lit.

Initial Smoke

Magic Toast starts off with the toothy, peppery Maduro kick one might expect. Reinforced with rich coffee bean balance, and a very pleasant earthen aftertaste.

It is sensationally smooth too, both in regard to strength and smoke. Your palate doesn't get walloped by intense flavors or tobacco potency from this smoke.

Just a clean burning beginning that eases you into the whole "magical" experience. Which is precisely what many of us look for in a breakfast cigar.

2nd Half

By the halfway point on the barrel, I was preparing for the cigar to evolve into a bit more of a chocolatey, mocha-forward smoke. A transition that did not come.

Magic Toast retains almost all of the flavors and strengths from its first half and instills them into a slightly more flavorful mid-section. There were some vanilla rum raisin-like nuances that developed at this point, but all mild in nature.

The final third provided more of the same sensations, with very few transitional flavors or strength fluctuations occurring along the way. This proved to be a pleasant surprise, for Alec Bradley's blend tastes and combusts ideally just the way it is from the get-go.

Parting Puffs

As with almost all cigars, the parting puffs of "Magic Toast" were a bit more on the intense end. If there are any chocolate-forward flavors to be detected, this is when they would emerge.

However, my palate picked up more leathery notes and some oaky campfire char, all backed by a robust espresso bean backbone. There was also a bit of a nicotine rush there at the end that caught me off guard, which thankfully was not too intense or astringent in flavor.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Unlike certain other double-binder cigars I have smoked recently, the box-pressed Toro version of "Magic Toast" did not offer any significant construction or combustion issues.

While it may not have been the whitest or tightest ash, this premium cigar blend burnt well and produced lush layers of smoke from its punched cap. 

Final Thoughts

"Magic Toast" may not be filled with nearly as many hat tricks as its name might suggest, but that does not make it any less special.

This is one hell of a clean-smoking, approachable Maduro breakfast cigar. One that focuses more on the coffee and earth portions of the cigar flavor profile wheel than the chocolate side. So take note all you coffee drinkers, for this might be the perfect stogie for your next morning smoking session.

It may not be the most elaborate magic trick you will ever encounter, but it will keep your interest all the way until the last act...

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