T.L. Johnson Tempio Extreme Box Press Review

Cigar: T.L. Johnson Tempio
Size: Toro
Wrapper: Pennsylvania
Binder: Dominican/Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican/Nicaraguan
Price: $9.00 to $11.00
By: Ryan Bloomer








Well its safe to say I am a little late to the party when it comes to the Tempio by T.L. Johnson.  I have been slowly watching the Tempio blow up on social media with boasts about its flavor and extreme razor sharp box press.  I thought it's about time for me to get with the program and do a review.   The Tempio was made for Johnson by the work of Luis Sanchez of the La Tradicion Cubana Factory in the Dominican Republic. The La Tradicion Cubana Factory believes in the old traditional Cuban styles, which include aging the cigars in cedar trays for long periods of time. Unfortunately my local shops do not carry the T.L. Johnson line. With that being the case I had to reach out to Don Wiggins at the Underground Cigar Shop who carries the complete T.L. Johnson line.

Appearance/Pre-lit:

The Tempio has an amazing pre lit aroma of cedar and oak.  The cedar is very predominate due to the cigar aging process of Luis Sanchez.  The cap is a pig tail that is well constructed and creates the beginning identity to the Tempio.  The veins of the wrapper are very big which gives the wrapper a rigid looking appearance.  The appearance actually fools you with a soft leathery feel from head to foot.  I have never seen a box press so well defined with sharp edges.  If you look from the foot to the head of the cigar it is in a shape of a well defined rectangle.  The band is very classic which fits well with the tradition of the way the Tempio is produced.  The time has come to toast this cigar and get started.



First Third:

The first few draws I immediately picked up strong hints of cedar, oak, and a slight hint of roasted nuts.  The Tempio does not put out a strong amount of smoke and the ash is very dark.  The burn is very even and the construction of the cigar is very good.  The first third is coming to the end and I started to pick up a sweet taste on my palate that I have not been able to figure out exactly.



Middle Third:

The cigar continues to have a smooth draw with good construction.  The notes of cedar and oak are still very much in play on my palate along with a sweet citrus taste that appeared near the end of the first third.  The hint of citrus plays well with the notes of cedar and oak.  My ash finally fell apart as I made a slight touch up entering the final third of the cigar.



Final Third:

The final third has hit me with an array of notes to go along with the cedar and oak.  I have picked up a taste of sweet and salty that is almost like freshly popped kettle corn.  The draw is still a little loose which is causing the cigar to burn a little quicker than I would like.  The sharp edges of the box press are still holding up strong.  The final third of the Tempio is no doubt the dessert portion of this cigar.



Final Thoughts:

If you love a great earthy cigar with strong hints of cedar, oak, and a dessert ending of freshly popped kettle corn this cigar is definitely for you.  I have decided to give this a cigar a rating of 9.0 out of 10 on the 2 Cigar Guys and a Humidor Rating Scale. The appearance and presentation is just phenomenal and if you haven't tried it you are missing out on a unique experience when it comes to extreme box pressed cigars.