Quesada Cigars marks its 50th anniversary with a special limited-edition cigar, reflecting on five decades of excellence in the cigar industry. This commemorative offering will be unveiled at the Procigar Festival in the Dominican Republic, with a subsequent showcase at PCA 2024 in Las Vegas.
The Quesada family, now in its fifth generation of operation, has consistently maintained high standards in cigar blending and manufacturing. The anniversary cigar, available in Toro Prensado and Perfecto vitolas, embodies the rich legacy of Quesada Cigars, featuring a blend of tobaccos from four different countries.
This milestone is celebrated with 2,200 boxes of Toro Prensado and 200 boxes of Perfecto, alongside two special humidors created for the occasion, one of which will be auctioned at the Procigar Festival.
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!
