Big Sky Madison
- Toro: 6 1/4 x 52
- Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
- Binder: Mexican San Andrés
- Filler: Nicaragua Ometepe, Jalapa, Estelí & Condega
- Country of Manufacture: Nicaragua
- Release Date: Fall 2020
- MSRP: $12.00/ $240.00 box of 20
- Smoking Time: 1 hour, 17 minutes
- Samples smoked for this review: 3
When reviewing cigars for PCA The Magazine, it’s like a mini Christmas Day every couple of months. Once that package of samples arrives I get to experience the joy of tearing it open (carefully) to discover the hidden treasure within. With Big Sky’s shipment, that joy was doubled, as VP of Sales Brandon Marsh generously sent samples of two of their several, single-vitola lines of cigars, the Madison and the Bitterroot. He had courteously asked about my taste preferences prior to shipping and it seemed he deduced that two of their entries were right in my wheelhouse. He was right!
Interestingly, both cigars have the same description in terms of their components: Habano wrapper, San Andrés binder and Nicaraguan filler. And yet, they displayed divergent personalities—one bold and subtly aggressive, the other refined and multi-layered. But I had to choose, because they don’t pay me to review more than one cigar per issue.
I had initially requested the Madison because it seemed to mirror my palate preference, and that turned out to be the case. I could have equally selected the Bitterroot and written a similarly positive review for it, as it was comparably enjoyable. Now, on to the review.
Appearance: Of the three samples smoked for this review, each displays a hue ranging from milk chocolate to dark chocolate. Each shows a few veins and well-integrated seams. The cigar’s head is crowned with a multi-seam cap. A subtle sheen reveals the oils in the leaf. I notice a slight green splotch near the foot of the cigar I’m using for this review. It’s something I always associate with Havana cigars, so that’s a good omen.
Construction is uniformly firm, from head to foot. The Madison, coming in at 6 1/2 inches long, looks and feels more like a Churchill than a Toro. It’s an impressive-looking cigar, set off by the glossy forest-green and gold band, whose shape traces a mountain range, evocative of Montana’s topography.
Cold Aroma: The Madison exudes a nice pungency off the wrapper leaf. A deeper, earthy aroma comes from the open foot of the cigar. There’s no noticeable pepper at this point.
Cold Draw: The first impression is one of sweetness, reminiscent of black cherry. The usual notes of earth and tobacco come through, balancing out the fruit flavor.
Light-up: There’s still no pepper spice, but the baking spices start to show up, creating a flavor reminiscent of baked apples. The draw has just enough resistance, delivering a steady stream of creamy smoke.
First Third: The draw and burn are quite good, and the char line starts out relatively even. As the smoke fills the mouth, the taste of coffee with cream spreads over the palate, producing a very smooth smoke. The ash is building up in nice, textured layers of dense, snowy gray, and hangs on for a good inch and a half. The body and strength are hovering just below medium, so the Madison is enjoyable without being intimidating. It’s all good at this point.
Second Third: A noticeable tingle on the tip of the tongue and the upper palate indicates the presence of a bit of spiciness, but the somewhat subtle sweetness, supported by tobacco and cedar, is the dominant characteristic. Another slow-building ash taps off, exposing a pointed cone of filler. Throughout this section, the char line is sharp and straight, and as the next ash begins to catch up to the filler, the burn is evening out. The cigar remains firm, and the smoke flows smoothly and evenly. Medium body and strength are the hallmarks of this mid-point in the review. The Madison is on cruise control now.
Final Third: Along with the consistent presence of stone fruit, there’s something new: a molasses-like, mouth-coating sweetness. It’s different, but somehow works well with the other taste sensations, such as cocoa, tobacco and cedar. One of my early impressions of the Madison was “This cigar is wonderful. Great flavor, and very enjoyable. A velvety smoke.” That assessment has remained throughout the smoking experience.
The char line remains even, and the cigar has never gone out. The flavors, while not making noticeable transitions, remain consistent. Another fine feature is the ash, which is uniformly colored, dense and even, and repeatedly forming segments of one and a half inches or more. A very solidly built cigar.
Wrap-up: During the roughly hour and a quarter of smoking time the Madison performed like a champ. It burned slowly and evenly, never extinguished itself and offered enough interesting flavors to remain enjoyable throughout. The char line was often razor sharp, didn’t meander too much, and was frequently followed by a billowy gray ash that at times refused to be tapped off.
This is a cigar I would seek out and gladly smoke again. As I stated at the start of this review, I could have written an equally glowing review of the Bitterroot Toro, and I’d welcome the opportunity to experiment with the several other offerings from Big Sky Cigar Co. These guys are onto something, and I’m eager to see where their talents will take them next.
– Review and photos by Larry Wagner.
This story first appeared in PCA The Magazine, Volume 1, 2025. To receive a copy of this magazine, you must be a current PCA member. Join or renew today at premiumcigars.org/membership.