Infinity Cigars, created by Sanj Patel, is a newer boutique building its lineup with more intention than most. The Night Shift is the richer, darker evening line: a Nicaraguan puro with a 5-year-aged maduro wrapper, offered in a classic Toro format, with a Perfecto alongside it in the line.
I enjoyed this cigar, and not in the polite, technically-solid way, in the way where you find yourself slowing down, paying attention, and reaching for another. The balance across all three thirds is what earns it the score it gets.
- Infinity Night Shift Toro, all-Nicaraguan puro, 5-year-aged maduro wrapper, 6×52 Toro format. Sold in 5-packs ($65) and 25-count boxes ($325).
- Cocoa, espresso, earth, and black pepper. Darker profile that stays in the medium-plus range without getting aggressive. A classic Toro format with room for the blend to develop through all three thirds.
- BLC Rating: 91/100. One of the better boutique releases I’ve smoked this year, and the 5-pack makes it a genuinely smart entry point.
FROM THE PORCH
I’ve been a fan of the Day Shift and Night Shift by Infinity Cigars for a while now. They’re built for exactly what the names say, one for the afternoon, one for after dark, and I’d tried both lines before this review. At a recent event I got talking with Melanie Libretto and Sanj Patel, who co-owns Infinity, and smoked the Night Shift right there at their booth. The takeaway was the passion, they put everything into this.
Back home I sat out for an evening smoke, and partway through it started to rain, so we had to run for the front. I enjoyed it regardless. Since the show I’ve gone out and bought a bunch more, they’re in my rotation now. My notes are below.
BEHIND THE BLEND
Sanj Patel built Infinity around a simple idea, two lines for two times of day: the Day Shift for the lighter daytime smoke, the Night Shift for the richer evening session. Patel is a retailer himself, and he launched his first brand, SP1014, in 2022. He created Infinity specifically for two New York retail partners. The cigars reach smokers through the brand’s own site, a partner online retailer, and the founders’ shops. The Night Shift is the darker of the two lines, and the 5-year-aged maduro wrapper carries it. That's leaf with real time to ferment, mellow, and develop the depth young maduro tobacco just doesn’t have. The result smokes with more cohesion and less harshness than you might expect from the profile on paper.
BLC BLEND BREAKDOWN
BLEND SPECS
THE VITOLA LINEUP
| VITOLA | SIZE |
|---|---|
| Perfecto | 6 × 54 |
| Toro ← reviewed | 6 × 52 |
I smoked the Toro, the classic 6×52 format that gives the blend a steady, even ride through all three thirds. If you want to compare the two, the Perfecto’s tapered head concentrates the draw for a more focused opening before the ring gauge opens up. Same blend, different feel.
THE COLD DRAW
Before light: the 5-year maduro wrapper gives off a rich, deep aroma, dark tobacco, a hint of dry cocoa, and a faint earthiness underneath. The foot is fuller and spicier, with black pepper sitting just under the surface. There’s a pleasant firmness in the hand. Construction is clean: the seams are tight, the cap is well-applied, and the wrapper has an oily, slightly rough texture from the long fermentation.
BLC CIGAR PROFILE
Burn: even from first draw to finish, firm grey ash.
Draw: well-tuned resistance, controlled without being tight.
The Night Shift lives in that medium-plus zone, enough presence to hold your attention, enough balance to stay smooth. The 5-year-aged maduro wrapper is doing real work here: that deep fermentation gives the whole profile a smoothness and cohesion that younger maduro leaf can’t match. Cocoa, espresso, earth, and pepper all have clear lanes in the profile without crowding each other. Dark without being difficult, which is harder to pull off than it sounds.
THE FIRST THIRD
The opening is concentrated and focused. Dark cocoa leads from the first draw, rich and dry rather than sweet. Rich tobacco follows immediately, and there’s a gentle roll of black pepper on the retrohale that adds warmth without aggression. The smoke texture is dense and satisfying. Burn line comes in even and controlled, the draw has just enough resistance to feel dialed in, and the ash builds grey and compact. Inviting and flavorful from the start.
THE SECOND THIRD
This is where the cigar earns its score. The profile opens up in the second third, the earth comes forward. The espresso note becomes clearer and more defined, and the pepper picks up a notch without tipping into harshness. The balance here is the story. Every note has a reason to be there, and they all support each other cleanly. Fuller in the hand than the first third, but never heavy.
THE FINAL THIRD
The final third brings more intensity, but not at the cost of the balance that got you here. Darker earth and a stronger espresso note take the lead. The pepper comes back, the cocoa shifts toward something drier and more roasted. The finish is long and clean, no bitterness, no heat spike, none of the muddy finish that weaker maduro blends fall into in the last inch. The Night Shift ends the way it started, balanced and dark.
OVERALL RATING
BLC OVERALL RATING
The Infinity Night Shift Toro earns a 91 on the strength of its balance, its construction, and its consistency across all three thirds. The 5-year-aged maduro wrapper gives the blend a depth and cohesion that sets it above most cigars in this category. Add in a smart 5-pack entry point that makes it accessible without pressure, and this is one of the better boutique releases I’ve smoked in 2026. Want to test it out? Get the 5-pack. If it clicks, grab the 25. You’re not going to be disappointed.
WHO GRABS THIS CIGAR
This is the cigar for the smoker who wants a richer, darker Nicaraguan without jumping straight to the most aggressive thing in the humidor. It’s the end-of-day smoke, backyard, front porch, somewhere quiet, where you have 60 to 90 minutes and want the cigar to match the mood. Experienced smokers who already live in the medium-full lane will find a lot to like here. Smokers making the move up from medium-bodied sticks will find it approachable if they’re ready for the step.
And there’s a bigger point worth making about the packaging: the 5-pack is genuinely one of the smartest moves Infinity has made. More boutique brands should be paying attention. Instead of asking someone to commit to a full 25-pack on a brand they may not know yet, a 5-pack gives them a fair shot. They can try the blend, share one with a friend, and decide whether it earns a permanent spot. That’s good marketing, and more brands should adopt it.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common questions about the Infinity Cigars Night Shift Toro 6×54.
