In March 2022, Ferio Tego announced their limited edition release for the 2022 TAA exclusive. Inspired by the Timeless 2020 TAA limited blend, the Nicaraguan puro is rolled at the Plasencia Cigars SA in Esteli, Nicaragua. In a press release with Halfwheel, Herklots stated, “The 2020 TAA Limited was launched just as the nation went into lockdown…We worked closely with the Plasencias to create complexity and nuance but also vivaciousness. The result is a blend experience that is savory but also full of life… perfect for 2022 and looking towards a bright future”.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Ferio Tego: Timeless TAA 2022
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Toro (6″x50)
Appearance & Construction
The dark espresso bean-colored cigar gives off a glare underneath the warm light. As if it was dipped into wax. The wrapper feels thick and soft. There are a few minor veins, but it has been flattened by the mold. There is a small dent below the cap, and the cigar has a springiness to it when I give it a squeeze.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
I smell sweet molasses when I bring the cigar close to my nose. Then I instantaneously salivate from the scent of tart peaches and pepper spice as I move down to the foot of it. After slicing the cap off with my guillotine cutter, I continue with a cold draw. This cigar reminds me of a bowl of greek yogurt with fruit: creamy and tart with some berry notes.
While lighting the cigar, I get a scent of honey hidden within the stream of white smoke. After some patience, I take my first puff and get freshly cut grass. Going past that, creamy hay, pistachios, roasted coffee, and wet log. There is a distinctive saltiness on the finish that I am unfamiliar with and have never encountered with a cigar before, but it kept me going back for more. I continue with a retrohale and get dark roasted coffee, roasted peanuts, oakwood, and mild black pepper spice.
I became worried about the construction because the cigar became squishy. The airflow is on the tighter side, around 8 out of 10. There is barely any smoke output at this point. Since a straight cut did not work so well for this cigar, I took out my Colibri SV cutter and sliced it down the middle with a deep V-cut. Unfortunately, that did not do much. Guessing the squishiness is the real culprit here. The burn line is as straight as it can be, and surprisingly the ash is piling up nicely. Overall, I am really enjoying this cigar due to its unique savoriness. As if I am smoking a beef jerky.
Right when I arrived at the second third, the ash fell. The draw has opened up, and I can taste roasted pine nuts, oakwood, and dark roasted coffee. The black pepper spice is much more pronounced with creamy almonds, leather, and coffee bean on the retrohale. The saltiness continues on the finish.
One thing I must mention is that as I am approaching the nub, I start to wonder if the cigar lounge I am in carries this cigar because I wanted another one right after this. The nub only becomes more complex with flavors of roasted peanut shell, dark roasted coffee beans, and creamy cedarwood. The retrohale stand on its own with berry notes, cedarwood, leather, and red pepper spice. As you can guess, I burned my fingers before letting go of this cigar.
Conclusion
Maybe because I missed out and did not get a chance to smoke the Ferio Tego Timeless TAA 2020, but the Timeless TAA 2022 is one of the most enjoyable cigars I have blind-reviewed this year. I won’t overkill on how much I liked the savory saltiness in this cigar, but the flavor itself was immaculate: roasted coffee, pine nuts, leather, and oakwood. The smoke is creamy. And the retrohale makes up for the absence of spice on the palate. The only negative I had was the squishiness from the first half of the cigar. I hope this won’t reoccur. I highly recommend you seek out this cigar for a unique encounter like no other.
The Romeo y Julieta Vintage Toro is manufactured by Imperial Brands’ U.S. subsidiary Altadis U.S.A. in La Romana, Dominican Republic at the Tabacalera de Garcia factory. The Romeo y Julieta marque was established in Cuba in the year 1875 by Inocencio Alvarez and Manin García. It wasn’t until the brand was acquired by José “Pepin” Rodriguez Fernández, former head of the Cabañas factory in Havana, and his firm, Rodríguez, Argüelles y Cia, in 1903, that the company truly became world renowned. Historically known as Sir Winston Churchills favorite cigar brand with its correlating Churchill vitola, the brand was actually more well known for their figurados (perfectos and piramides).
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Romeo y Julieta Vintage Toro
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Binder: Mexican
Filler: Dominican
Size: 6.2 x 54
Blind Review Notes: Romeo y Julieta Vintage
Appearance & Construction
The cigar is a “so-so” packed toro with a plaster-like Connecticut wrapper. It has a green tint to it in certain lighting and dons a triple cap. The cigar has an even weight in my hand.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The wrapper smells of hay and and dry urine with cedar and chocolate on the foot.
The cold draw has some resistance with mint, pine, and cedar on the breath.
The cigar toasts and lights beautifully.
First puff is steamed milk with wood and spice. There’s also a little graham cracker. A very creamy profile. Tongue tingling spice on the backend. Shitty draw. Shitty ash build up. Burn line needs a touch up. Shitty smoke production. Decent heat maintenence. Leather retro and aroma.
Second third adds some complexity. Sweet leather. Same on the retrohale. Not much aroma. Smoke production and draw still suck. Cigar is a little too hot near the burn line. Tingling pepper on the backend. The ash buildup looks cheap as fuck and is making a mess in my car. The smoking profile dries out a little and is no longer creamy.
Last third completely shits the bed with the wrapper leaf completely tearing off the top. The cigar also goes out. Once relit, the cigar returns to it’s sweeter smoking profile with tongue tingling spice. My mouth is getting dry. The cigar gets bitter.
Conclusion
Again, I managed to recognize an x-girlfriend of mine. The whole time I was smoking the cigar I was doodling “RyJ “on my car dashboard note paper as I smoked away on this god-awful cigar. The Romeo y Julieta Vintage Toro, at times sure reminded me of the many Romeo y Julieta’s I came up smoking. However, my first love done returned to me, raped, pillaged, and burnt to the ground. For you “RnJ” old-heads out there, this is unmistakably an Romeo y Julieta cigar. I must have just grabbed the runt of the litter. Can’t win them all. Enjoy!
There are a lot of cigar accessories on the market, and if you look at other cigar accessory lists on the internet, you’ll likely see list after list full of cheap, easily-breakable cutters and lighters or humidors that don’t work. These lists are generally written by non-smokers or retailers with an incentive to push the cheapest products at the highest markups. You certainly won’t find accessories which are genuinely surprising or beautiful. Why? Past decades have been really boring as far as cigar accessories go. The market has had a steady diet of lots of cheap, branded cutters, lighters, and ash trays from major brands looking to get free advertising from cigar lounges and cigar smokers.
Thankfully, in recent years the cigar lifestyle has seen a massive resurgence, and along with that rising tide has come a string of new and innovative cigar accessories.
On this list you’ll find a selection of cutters, lighters, ash trays, and even unique accessories which really don’t fit nicely in one single category. Because these accessories aren’t junk, they aren’t cheap—you won’t find $10 lighters or cheap Alibaba Cohiba knockoffs here like you will on other lists on Google. This list—based on the many cigar accessories I use on a daily basis—is maintained and updated over the years in order to help cigar aficionados discover what are truly the best cigar accessories on the market.
Top Cigar Accessories
So without further ado, here’s my list of top cigar accessories you should consider adding to your smoking room to give it some real spirit.
Les Fines Lames LE PETIT Knife Cutter
Les Fines Lames is a French company that while relatively young is already world-renowned for its incredibly successful lines of cigar cutter knives. The company has dozens of models, each painstakingly designed for maximum aesthetic impact and of course, a superior cut on a cigar. I own four knives, two of which are photographed below.
To me, Les Fines Lames knives have two main benefits:
Enhance the Ritual: cutting and lighting cigars is where every smoke session starts. Sure a standard guillotine cutter will get the job done. But carefully, lovingly cutting the cap off of a cigar with a precision tool simply adds to the experience. It gives the cigar the love and attention it deserves—after all, cigars are hand made and premium cigars require tremendous attention to construct.
Conversation Starters: I’m not one for pretense, but I can’t deny that cutting a cigar with a Les Fines Lames LE PETIT knife makes a statement to those nearby, and I’ve had multiple occasions where the knife started a friendly conversation. In an isolated world of eyes buried in phones, conversation pieces are an act of resistance.
Les Fines Lames LE PETIT Gold Series ArabesqueLes Fines Lames LE PETIT Barrel CognacLes Fines Lames LE PETIT
Now to address one important note: when Les Fines Lames launched, there was some talk among aficionados that because the knives utilize just one blade vs a traditional guillotine cutter, that the knives wouldn’t work as well. In the years since and as the knives have grown in popularity and reputation, those questions have largely ceased.
Click here to explore or purchase Les Fines Lames cigar knives on the Les Fines Lames website.
Protetta Morning Birds Ash Tray
Another relatively new company is Protetta, based in New York City. Originally the company designed and manufactured catch all dishes, but soon found a high degree of enthusiasm from cigar enthusiasts like myself. The company specializes in stunning, hand painted porcelain trays with removable cigar holders. You can see in the image above that there are actually multiple holders of different colors to customize the look and feel. As with Les Fines Lames knives, these dishes act as conversation pieces. But like any good work of art, they elevate the home or cigar lounge generally.
Click here to explore or purchase Protetta accessories on the Protetta website.
Solid Black Concrete Single Cigar Ashtray from Storck Designs
Switching gears to a completely different design aesthetic. I’m a big fan of these solid black concrete cigar ashtrays from Storck Designs. While certainly quite a bit simpler than hand-painted porcelain ash trays, they make a different kind of statement, placing the cigar in center stage and offering a bit more moody of a vibe. At ~$50, they’re also quite a bit more economical and worth checking out.
Click here to explore or purchase Storck Design accessories on the Storck Design website.
Elie Bleu Alba Series Ash Tray + Accessories
Some aficionados say that Elie Bleu sits at the epitome of sophistication in the world of cigar accessories. While I can’t state that definitively, the French based company is known for its unbelievably high quality of work, with hand made accessories ranging from cigar cutters and lighters all the way up to some of the most expensive hand-made humidors on the planet. Shown above is the Elie Bleu Alba Series, which celebrates the classic artwork of Cuban cigar boxes. The series includes a beautifully detailed double guillotine cutter, torch lighter, leather two-cigar holder, ash tray, and full sized desktop humidor.
You’ll pay top price with Elie Bleu. But you will receive legendary quality and craftsmanship. Sold in the US via Davidoff of Geneva.
One of my newest and most-used accessories is the Xifei 3-in-1 cutter and lighter. When I first received this lighter as a gift I was very skeptical given many of the products produced in China have been off the mark as far as quality goes. But boy was I surprised. This really has become my all in one accessory and I often reach for it when I’m heading out to a lounge and don’t want to pack a bunch of different accessories. For me the key feature is the inward aimed triple torches, which gives a lot of precision to a light. I find that triple or quad torches are often way to indiscrimate with their jets, leading to the wrapper leaf around the foot being scorched (the worst of these being those circular table top lights, AVOID). This lighter has three jets but it is still very precise.
At $128 on Amazon, it’s pricier than other lighters. But the build quality, usability and even look is excellent so it’s a no brainer to me.
Click here to explore or purchase the Xifei All in One Cutter and Triple Flame Lighter
Newair 250 Count Thermo-electric Humidor
I’ll begin by saying that even with my love of luxury cigar accessories, I am still a huge fan of the “tupperdore,” or using airtight tupperware to store cigars. Extremely cost effective and efficient. That said, the Newair 250 Count Thermo-electric Humidor is a great addition to the home for a cigar enthusiast. Here are the benefits:
Aesthetic: the humidor looks great, is relatively compact, and will enhance most rooms it sits in (unless of course your house has a cottagecore vibe in which case no electric humidor will fit!)
Function: unlike traditional humidors, the Newair thermoelectric humidor actually regulates the interior temperature, which means if you have a highly fluctuating environment, particularly with high temperatures, your cigars will remain safe and sound.
Newair produces these electric cigar humidors at varying sizes, so the most important piece of advice I can give you is, try to aim one size above the number of cigars you think you’ll need to store. For instance, while this claims to carry 250 cigars, that’s only under 100% perfect tetris storage conditions which frankly may not be good for airflow and actually keeping cigars humidified. If you truly have 200 or more cigars to store, I strongly suggest moving one step up to a larger size.
One other update since writing this post: Newair now produces the same thermoelectric humidor with a heating feature which is key for people like me who live in colder climates. It’s more expensive, but worth checking out.
Davidoff Discovery Flask & Storage
This goes down in my book as probably the most creative and innovative cigar accessory I own: a solid steel travel flask that swivels to reveal two cigar slots, one at each shoulder. Not only is the build quality superb, but interior storage for two cigars actually is something that comes in massively handy when going out on a daytrip. Sometimes I just don’t want to carry a travel humidor with me. If I’m goin on a hike with a friend, a well built flask and two identical cigars to share is perfect simplicity.
Only note: the cigar storage is good for up to about a Toro size, so if you’ve got 6×60’s you’re planning on bringing on a hike, know they won’t fit.
S.T. Dupont Brown Double Cigar Case
Similar to the Davidoff flask, the S.T. Dupont Brown Double Cigar Case is all about simplicity and form. Perfect for two cigars up to toro format, it has small touches that give it a classic feel, and the leather ensures long lasting life for the case. Often times with cheaper leather accessories you’re paying less but what you sacrifice is ultimately the life of the product. Fake leather cracks, frays and then looks unseemly. Not so with quality leather products. You can learn more about S.T. Dupont accessories on their website here.
Conclusion
And that’s it, my current list of cigar accessory products and manufacturers that I recommend checking out and purchasing from. Cigars are such a sophisticated and artful product: don’t pair your cigars with inferior, mass produced garbage that won’t stand the test of time or add anything to your cigar experience.
What do you think? Are there accessories not on this list that you think should be? Got suggestions? Leave them in the comments below.
For regular cigar smokers, Oliva Cigar Co is a renowned name. Even among Cuban cigar connoisseurs, Oliva is one of the few ‘new world’ brands held in high esteem the world over. Not only do they produce some of the best cigars on the market – but their products are also carefully crafted with quality and consistency in mind. As a regular Oliva cigar smoker and a cigar event organizer who regularly selects and recommends Oliva cigars, it’s no wonder to me that they’re one of the world’s foremost cigar companies. Outside of the blends being world-class, the company’s ability to replicate the exact blend experience year after year is matched only by other juggernauts like Davidoff or Arturo Fuente.
Oliva produces some of the most sought-after cigars on the market, and one of their most popular series is the Serie V Melanio Figurado. This cigar is handmade with a blend of Nicaraguan Habano Jalapa and Criollo leaves that are aged for a minimum of three years to develop its rich flavor. The Serie V Melanio Figurado features a dark and oily wrapper, with an overall smooth draw and complex yet mellow flavors. It has notes of coffee, leather, earthiness, cedar, and spice that linger on the palate. The wrapper is made from an Ecuador Sumatra leaf that adds an additional layer of complexity to the smoke. The burn rate is also great, as it burns slowly and evenly for an enjoyable smoking experience.
Click here to buy the Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado on Famous Smoke Shop.
Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Robusto
The Oliva Melanio Maduro is a special edition of the classic Oliva Melanio. It is made with a higher priming of the same Nicaraguan Habano Sun Grown wrapper from the original blend, but the Maduro version has been aged for up to 5 years in order to bring out its natural sweetness and darker, richer tones. The Maduro version also features an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and a blend of Nicaraguan Habano long fillers. This combination of tobaccos provides a pleasant and balanced full-bodied experience that is unique to the Maduro variant. It delivers flavors such as coffee, dark chocolate, leather, baking spices, and earthy undertones. The Maduro variant also produces thicker smoke due to its increased wrapper priming and longer aging period, making it ideal for those looking for more intense flavor profiles in their cigars.
Click here to buy the Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Robusto on Famous Smoke Shop.
Oliva Connecticut Reserve
If you want to explore the milder side of Oliva Cigar Co., the Connecticut Reserve has to be your first stop. The Oliva Connecticut Reserve is crafted with an Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut wrapper that offers a smooth, creamy smoke. The interior blend consists of Nicaraguan binder and filer tobaccos, offering a balanced combination of complexity and flavor. Creamy notes of cedar, coffee, and moderate white pepper make this cigar an enjoyable experience.
Click here to buy the Oliva Serie Connecticut Reserve on Famous Smoke Shop.
Oliva Serie V No. 4
The Oliva Serie V IV is one of, if not our all time favorite Oliva Cigar. It is without a doubt perhaps the best ‘small cigar’ on the market. But unlike most smaller cigars which resemble their larger counterparts in name only, the Oliva Serie V No. 4 is like a small espresso shot of the original Serie V blend. Intense, creamy notes of leather, cocoa, coffee, earth, cedar, and spice provide an enjoyable experience for all types of smokers.
Click here to buy the Oliva Serie V No. 4 on Famous Smoke Shop.
Conclusion
Oliva is a company that knows how to craft an amazing cigar. Any of the cigars on this list will be a crowd pleasure for the novice or veteran cigar smoker – so give them a try!
Affiliate disclosure: when you purchase something using the retail links on this or other Fine Tobacco NYC pages, we may earn a small commission. We link to Famous Smoke Shop because they are (in our opinion) the best online cigar retailer. Our opinions on the cigars remain our own!
2022 was a great year for new cigar releases—from big brand releases like Los Statos all the way up to releases from iconic premium brands like Davidoff and heavyweights in tobacco like Plasencia. But it’s a new year, and that mean’s there’s a lot of people wondering what the best new cigars are to smoke in 2023. Well, you’ve come to the right place – we’re a team of blind reviews and seasoned cigar smokers who are always on the lookout for the next great smoke. Below are our recommendations for the best cigars to smoke in 2023. We’ll be continually updating this list as new releases in 2023 come out and are reviewed.
The Best New Cigars to Smoke in 2023
Los Statos Deluxe
Ah, the Los Statos Deluxe. While it may look like a brand new player on the scene, it’s actually a relaunch of the Los Statos brand by Forged Cigar Co under the supervision of Matt Booth. The cigar utilizes a seriously rich Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and presents sweet and spicy notes of coffee, dark chocolate, and leather.
Release Year: 2022
Strength: Medium-Full
Box Price: from $150
Buy the Los Statos Deluxe from Famous Smoke Shop here.
West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black
A true newcomer to the cigar scene, the West Tampa Cigar Co. Black came out of nowhere to become one of those most popular new releases of 2022. The West Tampa Black features a dark Ecuardorian Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers, and presents a highly focused flavor profile cocoa, toasted bread, and a healthy dose of black pepper. Absolutely a blend worth exploring.
Release Year: 2022
Strength: Full
Box Price: from $180
Buy the West Tampa Black from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Romeo y Julieta Reserve Real Nicaragua
The original Reserva Real from Romeo y Julieta has long been a classic. The team at Altadis worked tirelessly to create a Nicaraguan follow up that delivers a classic Romeo y Julieta experience while adding a bit more body than the Dominican original. An elegant smoke, ideally suited for new cigar smokers. Read our full review here.
Release Year: 2020
Strength: Medium
Box Price: from $197
Buy the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut
Don’t let the Connecticut wrapper fool you: the Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut is a flavor bomb, albeit slightly milder than many on the market. In our blind review, we were impressed with the creaminess, oak, leather and wood that gave this cigar so much flavor.
Release Year: 2019
Strength: Mild-Medium
Box Price: from $150
Buy the Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Herman’s Batch The Banker by H.Upmann
Released in 2020 and blended by AJ Fernandez, H. Upmann Herman’s Batch impressed us with its spicy, strong start that morphs into a delicious combo of toast, coffee, leather and honeyed notes.
Release Year: 2020
Strength: Medium-Full
Box Price: from $160
Buy the H. Upmann Herman’s Batch from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Fonseca by My Father
One of the true break-out blends of 2020, receiving a whopping 93 rating in our blind review. My Father Fonseca is expertly constructed and features notes of sweet spice, milk chocolate, tea and floral notes that develop nicely throughout the blend. A must smoke, especially for the veteran cigar smoker.
Release Year: 2020
Strength: Medium-Full
Box Price: from $155
Buy the My Father Fonseca from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas
The Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas presents a flavor profile that no JdN fan could miss: dark oak and charcoal, creamy cocoa, leather, and light spiciness. What Cinco Décadas achieves is to take the JdN flavor profile that we know and love and elevate it into the realm of art. We know that is high praise, but it is true, particularly given the cigar’s sheer complexity and balance. Highly recommended.
Release Year: 2018
Strength: Full
Box Price: from $152
Buy the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Aging Room Pura Cepa
Once again, Rafael Nodal of Aging Room has hit the ball out of the park. The Aging Room Pura Cepa makes the list of best cigars to smoke in 2021 with notes of smoky wood that’s augmented by light chocolate, cream, floral, and leather notes. Impeccably constructed, this cigar achieved a score of 90 and we highly recommend it.
Release Year: 2018
Strength: Medium
Box Price: from $234
Buy the Aging Room Pura Cepa from Famous Smoke Shop here.
And there you have it, our initial recommendations for the top cigars to smoke in 2023. We’ll continue adding to this list as stellar blends from our 2023 blind reviews come in.
Affiliate note: we may receive a small commission for purchases made through links on this page–but that doesn’t affect our review scores or recommendations.
In the Fall of 1992, Cigar Aficionado published the first issue that showcased tobacco and all the products related to it in one way or another. Nowadays, the quarterly issues of Cigar Aficionado mainly focus on lifestyle brandings going from cigars to accessories, traveling, golfing, yachts, wine, spirits, etc. During the most recent PCA tradeshow, one luxury brand stood out above the rest: Peter James.
Peter James Co. started from a conversation a group of friends was having about the lack of a cigar organizer that is both functional and stylish. Today, not only known for its ultra-durable and stylish cigar cases, but Peter James has a wide variety of lifestyle products such as cologne, espresso beans, lighters, and even couches! One can even say Peter James’s eminence in lifestyle branding.
John Peter Laurendi, one of the co-founders of Peter James Co, is no stranger to exploring the uncharted sea. Taking an unconventional step, Laurendi delves into the realm of cigar making. Why is this unconventional, you ask? Because we always see cigar manufacturers dabbling into lifestyle branding, never the other way around.
Los Estoico means “The Stoics” in English. The number “54” references the ring gauge of the first cigar Laurendi obtained from his father. Ultimately, Laurendi wanted to create the perfect casual, everyday cigar, and Los Estoico 54 was his answer.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Peter James Los Estoico 54 Maduro
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Jalapa, Condega, Undisclosed
Size: Robusto Extra (5 3/4″ x 52)
Appearance & Construction:
Laying across the white porcelain Davidoff ashtray, the Maduro cigar looks even darker, almost escuro shade. Upon closer inspection, there is an unspoken beauty about the dark wrapper: oily but not toothy, it feels soft yet sturdy. The wrapper leaf is smooth, with no veins, and is masterfully rolled. The cigar feels weightless: the filler tobacco is loosely packed and is proportionally filled throughout the cigar.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
Sliding the cigar across my nose, I get the scent of tangy raisin and cocoa powder. As I got to the foot of the cigar, I experienced sweet stone fruits and pepper spice. To complete my pre-light ritual, I sliced off the cap with my XO Xikar cutter and did a cold draw. This cigar is herbaceous with a hint of mustiness and a sweet aftertaste. This is one of the more unique cold draws I’ve experienced.
I go in for the first draw as soon as the foot of the cigar shines bright red, wondering if I would get a similar unique flavor note post-light. The smoke is sweet and creamy. I then get bitter herbs, cocoa powder, raw sugar, roasted peanuts, and leather. I proceed with a retrohale and immediately get black pepper, but it leaves as quickly as it came. I am left with raw sugar and leather.
So far, the burn line is even, and the draw is pretty loose. As I mentioned before, it feels like the filler tobacco is loosely packed, so the ash is flakey, and I find myself wearing it as soon as I look away from the cigar. And lastly, I prepared myself for a fuller-bodied cigar cause of how it looked, but the strength is around a medium-body cigar.
The cigar doesn’t change much when I get to the halfway point. The combination of sweet, creamy, and cocoa powder profile reminds me of Swiss Miss hot chocolate, but the taste of the bitter herb is still very forward, and it is not a combination that I enjoy. The retrohale slowly intensifies with the black pepper spice in strength and longevity. The profile deepens as well with oakwood and cocoa nibs.
As I’m approaching the nub, the smoke gets even creamier. I taste oats, oakwood, cocoa powder, tan leather, and a hint of red pepper spice in the back of my palate. Also, I’m relieved from the bitter herbal flavor, but my mouth was already tainted by it, and I got a constant reminder of the aftertaste. Unfortunately, I became nauseous from the combination of sweet, creamy, and bitter herbs. So, I decided to cut short my experience with 2 inches left on the cigar.
Conclusion
Will Roger probably said it the best, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Los Estoico 54 Maduro did just that. Even though sweet, creamy, and bitter are not combinations I enjoy, I can recognize the quality of the tobacco and the passion that went into it. Because Laurendi did not come from a tobacco background, this cigar is truly impressive. While flawed, it does have positive redeeming qualities, so I am interested in trying the Habano version and cannot wait to see what the future holds for Peter James Cigars.
The Quesada Holiday Keg 2022 Edition is made by Quesada cigars at their Tabacos de Exportación Inc. (TABADEX) factory in the Dominican Republic. The last time the cigar was released was 5 years ago. The Quesada Holiday Keg first appeared on the scene back in 2015 as a St. Patrick’s Day release meant to pair well with a pint of stout. In 2016 they released one towards the end of December. Then in 2017, the industry saw the last release of the Holiday Keg line, again near the St. Patricks Day season. The cigars are sold in a 10-count miniature beer barrel with only 500 kegs being made for the U.S. market.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Quesada Holiday Keg 2022 Edition
Wrapper: Ecuador Havana 2000
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican/Nicaraguan
Size: 6×50
Appearance & Construction
The cigar is a beautiful rustic maduro toro with lots of striation and a triple cap. It is well packed and lightweight in hand.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The cigar wrapper and foot smell faintly of straw bales. The draw has some resistance with a rich humidor cedar on the breath. Toasts and combusts without hesitation.
First puff is very light bodied. Not much flavor. Some cedar, spice, tang, and toast if you go searching. Leather and toast in both the aroma and retro. The draw has some resistance but doesn’t get in the way of great smoke production. Solid ash and good heat maintenance. The cigar is light bodied so far, but very tangy with lots of cedar and leather in the mix. Growing pepper notes hit the back of my throat to round out the smoke. So far the cigar can also take a beating pretty well. I feel free to puff away.
Second third opens up with a dank note and reminds me a lot of wet denim. Don’t act like you’ve never been so drunk and lost in life that you didn’t find comfort in chewing on the sleeve of your denim jacket to the point of making it sopping wet. Heck! I did that before I ever even had a drinking problem. The draws resistance is becoming a pain in the ass, yet it still doesnt stifle the the smoke production. You have to dig really deep to pull out any chocolate and/or cinnamon aftertaste. The smoke is very flavorless if you don’t put in a good effort.
Massaging the cigar helps a little as the the smoke progresses into the final third. The smoke develops more body. I’m getting a hint of more cinnamon and cedar. Leather aroma with a toasty retro. The cigar though is by and large flavorless.
Conclusion
In conclusion, to me the Quesada Holiday Keg 2022 Edition was a waste of time. The tight draw didn’t hamper the smoke production, but it did hamper the flavor. I have since smoked one more Quesada Holiday Keg 2022 Edition with the same results. Don’t put the Quesada Holiday Keg 2022 Edition in anyone’s stocking. Enjoy!
The Casa Magna Connecticut Toro is manufactured by Quesada Cigars at its Tabacos de Exportación factory in the Dominican Republic. Casa Magna was originally a joint venture between Quesada Cigaras and Plasencia Cigars and rose to prominence when it won Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigar of the Year in 2009. The Casa Magna Connecticut toro is the second Dominican made cigar in the Casa Magna line.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Casa Magna Connecticut Toro
Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: 6 1/2 x 52
Appearance & Construction
The cigar is a lightweight toro packed loosely with what seems like a triple cap. The wrapper leaf looks like a papier-mâché project. Not that impressive or pretty at all.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The wrapper smells of sweet straw bales, honey and dried urine. Not getting much aroma off the foot, maybe a little bit of mint. Nice cold draw with a little give on the inhale, with a cedary breath. Toasts and lights well.
At first puff there’s a little chocolate, cedar, and tangy BBQ. I’m not that impressed with the draw, but I say that about every toro. Toros are for guys that like to swallow. WHAT?! Toast with diner jelly packets on the retro, sweet leather aroma in the air. Alright smoke production and alright heat maintenance…straight burn line. Sturdy ash build up. A little pepper on the tongue after every sip. Slow burn. I would say a very cedar forward cigar on the first third, with light nuances of spice and fruit here and there.
Second third opens up with a light earthy coffee note. And when I mean light. I mean light! The cigar is extremely light bodied. The solid ash build up also broke off and honeycombed. The cigar also needs a touch up for a crack line in the wrapper. The aroma in the air is very interesting, perfumy and earthy at the same time, with a milk toast retro. Flavor profile has changed to hot chocolate and strawberry hard candy. A little spice on the throat. Ash build up has regained it’s sturdiness, with good smoke output and better heat maintenance.
Moving into the last third, the smoke is definitely creamier and chewier with great output. A lot of light milk chocolate on the palate with the earthy notes on the backend. Still burning slow. Ash is still stacking dimes, but breaks off again even though I’ve been less aggressive on my draws. Aroma in the air is leathery but still has this smell I can’t put words to. Leathery and chocolatey retro. Tried smoking it down to a nub only to have the cigar go out. It was turning into a black coffee finish anyway which isn’t my favorite. Two hour smoke time.
Conclusion
The Casa Magana Connecticut toro was a great light bodied smoke. LIGHT BODIED in every essence of the term. Not over powering and only demanding on the time commitment it takes to smoke a toro. It proves to be a loyal soldier in damp winter weather, staying lit even while getting rained on. Every third provides new nuances that I only wish were more prolific, but I get it… The Casa Magana Connecticut toro is a true Connecticut indeed and perhaps one of the better ones on the market. So for you lighter bodied fans that want something reliable with an ever changing profile I would totally recommend the Casa Magana Connecticut toro. Enjoy!
El Bonchero Criollo cigar is manufatured by Criollo Cigars at the Blackbird Dominicana Factory in the Dominican Republic. The brand is relatively new and has a lot to prove – the Criollo is the first blend from the company we have reviewed on Fine Tobacco NYC.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: El Bonchero Criollo
Wrapper: Brazillian
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Dominican
Size: 5 x 50
Appearance & Construction
The cigar is a leathery spongy robusto with nice striation and a triple cap. Very lightweight in hand.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The cigar smells of hay/straw bales. The cold draw is loose with cedar and mint on the tongue. The cigar toasts and combusts very well.
First puff is creamy with lots of sweet coffee and cedar. There is some tang and earthiness in the background. Lots of milk chocolate through out the first third. Heat maintenance is good with good smoke production. Ash is flaky with not the best burn line but it does self correct it’s short coming. White toast retro. Chocolate leather aroma in the air.
Ash breaks off on its own in the second third. Still a very creamy and sweet cigar. Lots of coffee, chocolate, cedar with some building pepper in the background. So far a very nice smoke to start the day. Burn line cleans up the act. Great smoke production and heat maintenance. Ash is still flaky. White toast retro. Chocolate leather aroma in the air.
Last third develops more pepper on the palate, but the smoke is still creamy and sweet with lots of earth on the back end. Heat maintenence, burn line, smoke output are all where they should be. White toast retro. Chocolate leather aroma in the air. 90min smoke time. Ends in a leathery hazelnut finish.
Conclusion
The El Bonchero Criollo is a great morning smoke, or a cigar I would have no problem referring to a mild smoker. Lots of flavor and creaminess. I found the construction to be flaky and brittle at times, but the El Bonchero Criollo held up for the journey and never went out. I also don’t believe you could build a cigar that taste the way this did with tougher tobacco leaves. Feel free to pair the El Bonchero Criollo with any drink of choice, just not anything too tannic or astringent. Enjoy!
The West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Robusto is blended by Rick Rodriquez, former master blender and ambassador of CAO cigars. The cigars are manufactured in Esteli, Nicaragau at the Garmendia Cigars Co.’s factory. West Tampa Cigar Co. was founded in 2022 by Rick Rodriquez and former General Cigar Co. emploee, Gus Martinez.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Robusto
Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
Binder: Nicaragua (Ometepe)
Filler: Nicaragua (Condega & Estelí)
Size: 5 x 50
Appearance & Construction
The cigar is a rustic sticky looking oscuro robusto with a triple cap. It is packed loosely and is very light weight and comfortable in hand.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The cigar wrapper and foot smells like straw and hay bales. Semi sweet. Loose cold draw with dank cedar on the breath. Toasts and combusts great.
First puff detonates with tongue and nasal coating pepper and cedar. Chocolate and toast on the backend. Like a Nutella sandwich. Leather aroma with a toasted pine retro. Beautiful to say the least. Smoke production could be better. Heat maintenance, burn lines, and ash build up are all satisfactory. Some baking spices and men’s cologne dance around in the back of the palate to round out the first third.
Second third, is dominated by toast and baking spices. There is a chocolate and leather aroma in the air with more toast on the retro. Though very singular on the palate the smoking experience is still very enjoyable. The smoke production has improved, and it still handles the heat well. The ash is developing a brittleness, and it breaks off in predictable form.
Last third is cedary and spicy. A nice landing if it holds true till the end. There is a nice perfume note in the background. Throat coating pepper. The draw tightens slightly, which is a bummer. This undoubtedly keeps me vigilant of the heat factor. Smoke production is decent. The cigar is definitely struggling to not crash land. I have to touch it up and baby sit the heat more then I would like to. However, I keep coming back for these great nuances of baking spices and chocolate. Through keeping a good and more attentive smoking pace the cigar holds strong to the nub without getting overly harsh. The cigar eventually goes out as I rest it for a minute.
Conclusion
I somewhat enjoyed the West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Robusto. However, the cigar was very one-dimensional at times. There definitely could have been more body to the flavors. When usually picking up an oscuro cigar I’m expecting the smoking experience to be on overdrive, which I know is flat out stereotyping. Shoot me! The smoking experience was a little lighter then I anticipated with some minor construction issues. I definitely wouldn’t pair the West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Robusto with anything heavier then a cider or a blonde ale. It’s probably better off smoked on a nice walk while you’re giving it your full attention. The West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Robusto may not be box worthy, but it easily worth a try. Enjoy!
